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- Herausgeber: John Wiley & Sons
- Kategorie: Fremdsprachen
- Sprache: Englisch
Learn to speak Latin American Spanish with confidence—the easy way
Spanish For Dummies gets you started with the Spanish language, even if you've never learned a language before. The trusted Dummies language learning method is quick and practical, so you'll know what to say and do when traveling to a Spanish-speaking country or interacting with Spanish speakers in your community. You'll learn the basics of Spanish grammar and pronunciation, and then you'll explore common phrases you'll need in everyday situations. Get ready to study, work, or travel abroad—or integrate Spanish into your everyday life. This essential resource helps you make small talk, understand common expressions, navigate business settings, ask for directions, go to the doctor, and beyond.
- Learn how Latin American Spanish works—grammar, pronunciation, and important constructions
- Build your vocabulary and learn common expressions you'll hear while abroad
- Brush up your conversation skills with authentic dialogues, plus follow along with online audio
- Get practice reading, writing, and speaking Spanish, so you're ready to communicate effectively
With Spanish For Dummies, students, travelers, and business professionals can gain the confidence to converse in Spanish.
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Veröffentlichungsjahr: 2025
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Spanish For Dummies®
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Table of Contents
Cover
Title Page
Copyright
Introduction
About This Book
Conventions Used in This Book
Foolish Assumptions
Icons Used in This Book
Beyond the Book
Where to Go from Here
Part 1: Getting Started
Chapter 1: Spanish in a Nutshell
Tackling Basic Grammar
Easing Into Common Expressions
Expressing Numbers, Times, and Days
Speaking Spanish around the House
Putting Spanish into Action
Taking Spanish on the Go
Chapter 2: Warming Up with Spanish Grammar Basics
Breaking Down Simple Sentence Structure
Forming Questions: The Basics
Meeting Subject Pronouns Face to Face
Introducing Regular and Irregular Verbs
Understanding That Whole Gender Thing
Chapter 3: Getting Started with Basic Expressions
Reciting Your ABCs
Understanding Pronunciation and Stress
Retooling Punctuation Rules
Reflecting on Reflexive Verbs and Pronouns
Greetings and Introductions: Formal or Informal
Deconstructing Spanish Names
Asking and Answering “How Are You?” with the Verbs Ser and Estar
Saying “Please,” “Thank You,” “Good-bye,” and Other Pleasantries
Speaking about Speaking: The Verb Hablar
Chapter 4: Getting Your Numbers, Times, and Measurements Straight
Counting to 100 and Beyond
Telling Time
Using the Calendar and Dates
Familiarizing Yourself with the Metric System
Chapter 5: Speaking Spanish at Home
Taking a Tour of Your Home
Discussing Your Daily Plans
Eating at Home
Engaging in Common Household Activities
Being Possessive: Yours, Mine, and Ours
Part 2: Spanish in Action
Chapter 6: Getting to Know You: Making Small Talk
Asking Nine Key Questions
Chatting about the Weather
Describing Family Members
Talking about Where You Live with the Verb Vivir
Discussing Work with the Verbs Trabajar and Entender
Engaging in “Small” Talk with Diminutives
Chapter 7: Asking for Directions
Asking “Where Is … ?” and “Where Are … ?”
Describing Position Relative to Yourself
Understanding Directions: It’s a Prepositional Thing
Navigating with Maps
Dealing with Normal Ups and Downs: The Verbs Subir and Bajar
Going Here, There, and Everywhere
Cerca and Lejos: How Far Should You Go?
Chapter 8: Dining Out and Going to the Market
Eating Out
Going to Market
Shopping at the Supermercado
Chapter 9: Shopping Made Easy
Buying Essentials at the Pharmacy and Perfumery
Shopping at the Department Store
Wearing and Taking with the Verb Llevar
Making Comparisons: Good, Better, Best
Knowing When Superlatives Fail: Exaggerations
Looking for Specialty Stores
Shopping in Traditional Markets
Chapter 10: Going Out on the Town
Going Out with the Verb Salir
Inviting People with the Verb Invitar
Dancing with the Verb Bailar
Enjoying Shows and Events
Singing with the Verb Cantar
Chapter 11: Taking Care of Business and Telecommunications
Getting around at the Office
Conducting Business Made Simple
Forming the Preterit Tense
Getting into the Action at the Office
Delegating Tasks
Chapter 12: Recreation and the Great Outdoors
Playing Chess in Spain
Reading with the Verb Leer
Writing with the Verb Escribir
Taking It Outside (For Good or Bad)
Strolling Along with the Verb Pasear
Checking Out the Animals
Playing with the Verb Jugar
Playing Ball Games
Swimming with the Verb Nadar
Part 3: Spanish on the Go
Chapter 13: Planning a Trip
Making Travel Plans
Mastering Visas and Passports
Traveling into the Future with Ir
Packing: Less Is More
Taking Along Your Computer
Chapter 14: Dealing with Money in a Foreign Land
Picking Up Common Money Terms
Using an ATM
Charging Ahead with Your Credit Card
Exchanging Your Dollars
Chapter 15: Getting Around: Planes, Trains, Taxis, and More
Purchasing Tickets
Bringing Things with the Verb Traer
Making Your Way through the Airport
Getting around on the Train
Dealing with the Customs Office
Getting around on Public Transit
Hailing a Taxi
Driving in a Foreign Land
Scheduling Issues: Running Late, Early, or On Time
Waiting with the Verb Esperar
Chapter 16: Finding a Place to Stay
Making Lodging Reservations
Checking Out the Hotel before Checking In
Registering at Your Hotel
Sleeping with the Verb Dormir
Waking Up with the Verb Despertarse
Asking for Towels and Other Essentials
Chapter 17: Handling Emergencies
Shouting for Help
Handling Health Problems
Getting Help with Legal Problems
Refusing Help When You Don’t Really Want It
Part 4: The Part of Tens
Chapter 18: Ten Ways to Pick Up Spanish Quickly
Go to Spanish-Speaking Places
Investigate Your Neighborhood
Listen to Radio and TV
Watch a Movie
Check Out Your Library
Translate Using Apps
Make Flashcards
Create a Game
Label Everything with Sticky Notes
Say It Again, Sam
Chapter 19: Ten Things Never to Say in Spanish
Soy americano
Yo no hablo mexicano
Así no es como lo hacemos en los Estados Unidos
Tu madre lleva botas militares
Papas versus Papás
Yo iré un poco más temprano
¡Muy mucho!
Me siento tan embarazada
Necesito algo de ropa para atar el paquete
¿Tiene hombre? and Other Accidental Letter Changes
Chapter 20: Ten (or So) Common Spanish Expressions
¿Qué tal?
¿Quiubo?
¿Qué pasó?
¿Cómo van las cosas?
¡Del uno!
¿Cuánto cuesta?
¿A cuánto?
¡Un asalto!
¡Una ganga!
¡Buen provecho!
¡Salud!
¡Buen viaje!
Chapter 21: Ten Phrases That Make You Sound Fluent in Spanish
¡Esta es la mía!
¡Voy a ir de farra!
¡La cosa va viento en popa!
Nos divertimos en grande
¿Y eso con qué se come?
¡Así a secas!
Caer fatal
Ver negras para
¡Ojo!
Pasó sin pena ni gloria
Part 5: Appendixes
Appendix A: Mini-Dictionaries
Spanish-English Mini-Dictionary
English-Spanish Mini-Dictionary
Appendix B: Verb Tables
Regular Spanish Verbs
Irregular Spanish Verbs
Spanish Verbs with e to i Stem Changes (in Present and Past Tense)
Spanish Verbs with e to ie Stem Changes (in Present Tense)
Spanish Verbs with o to ue Stem Changes (in Present Tense)
A Spanish Verb with a u to ue Stem Change (in Present Tense)
Appendix C: Answer Keys
Index
About the Author
Connect with Dummies
End User License Agreement
List of Tables
Chapter 2
TABLE 2-1 Spanish Subject Pronouns
Chapter 3
TABLE 3-1 One-Syllable Words That Change Meaning When Accented
TABLE 3-2 Common Reflexive Verbs
TABLE 3-3 Properly Using Reflexive Pronouns
Chapter 4
TABLE 4-1 Numbers
TABLE 4-2 Ordinals
TABLE 4-3 Times After and Before the Hour
TABLE 4-4 Time Expressions
TABLE 4-5 Days of the Week
TABLE 4-6 Months
TABLE 4-7 Communicating Dates
Chapter 9
TABLE 9-1 Pharmacy/Perfumery Items
TABLE 9-2 Basic Shopping Terms
TABLE 9-3 Articles of Clothing
TABLE 9-4 Colors
TABLE 9-5 Spanish Adjective Comparatives and Superlatives
TABLE 9-6 Specialty Items
Chapter 11
TABLE 11-1 Common Office Furniture
TABLE 11-2 Common Office Equipment
TABLE 11-3 Common Office Supplies
TABLE 11-4 Office Rooms and Other Key Areas
TABLE 11-5 Creating Formal Commands
TABLE 11-6 Irregular Verbs in the Imperative Form
Chapter 12
TABLE 12-1 Animals Common to Central and South America and Mexico
Chapter 14
TABLE 14-1 Latin American Currencies
Chapter 15
TABLE 15-1 Parts of a Car
Chapter 17
TABLE 17-1 Medical Terms
TABLE 17-2 Indirect Object Pronouns
TABLE 17-3 Body Parts
TABLE 17-4 Helpful Medical Terms
List of Illustrations
Chapter 6
FIGURE 6-1: A family tree in Spanish.
FIGURE 6-2: The stem-changing boot.
Chapter 8
FIGURE 8-1: Menu items in Spanish.
Guide
Cover
Table of Contents
Title Page
Copyright
Begin Reading
Index
About the Author
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Spanish For Dummies®, 3rd Edition
Published by: John Wiley & Sons, Inc., 111 River Street, Hoboken, NJ 07030-5774, www.wiley.com
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Library of Congress Control Number: 2025934062
ISBN 978-1-394-32132-2 (pbk); ISBN 978-1-394-32134-6 (ebk); ISBN 978-1-394-32133-9 (ebk)
Introduction
As society becomes more international in nature, knowing how to say at least a few words and phrases in other languages becomes increasingly useful. Global business environments often necessitate overseas travel or at least the ability to communicate via e-mail and over the phone. You just may have friends and neighbors who speak other languages, or you may want to get in touch with your heritage by learning a little bit of the language that your ancestors spoke.
Whatever your reason for wanting to acquire some Spanish, Spanish For Dummies, 3rd Edition, can help you with the skills you need for basic conversational communication in Spanish. I’m not promising fluency here, but if you want to greet someone, purchase a ticket, or order off a menu in Spanish, you need look no further than Spanish For Dummies!
Spanish is one of the great European languages, rich in heritage from its more than nine centuries of existence. This is the language that comes from the region of Spain that English-speakers call Castile. As Christopher Columbus and other Spanish explorers came to the New World, Spanish became the language of the majority of the peoples from Florida to Tierra del Fuego. When you go to places like Argentina, Bolivia, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Cuba, Ecuador, Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico, Nicaragua, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Puerto Rico, Uruguay, or Venezuela, you speak in or are spoken to in Spanish. If you visit cities like Asuncion, Bogota, Buenos Aires, Caracas, Lima, Mexico City, Montevideo, Quito, San Juan, or Santiago de Chile, and many, many others, the people predominantly speak Spanish. And when you speak their language or even attempt to communicate with them in their native tongue, you add a richer dimension to your experience. Some folks say that language can be a barrier. And I believe that by removing this barrier, you open a world of possibilities.
So you have several good reasons to embrace this beautiful language. You may want to understand the culture and the people. You may also want your Spanish-speaking friends and neighbors at home to understand you, in their own language. So even if your Spanish isn’t perfect, you’ll be appreciated and encouraged in your attempts to immerse yourself in the Spanish-speaking world.
About This Book
Spanish For Dummies can help you reach moments of true understanding in a different language. Use the text as a language and cultural guide for those moments when you really need to know how and why things are done. Note: This book concentrates on Latin American Spanish, meaning the Spanish spoken in Mexico, Central America, and South America.
This book also isn’t a class that you have to drag yourself to twice a week for a specified period of time. You can use the book however you want to, whether your goal is to know some words and phrases to help you get around when you visit Mexico and the countries of Central or South America, travel to Spain, or simply want to be able to say, “Hello, how are you?” to your Spanish-speaking neighbor. Go through this book at your own pace, reading as much or as little at a time as you like. You don’t have to trudge through the chapters in order, either; just read the sections that interest you.
Conventions Used in This Book
To make this book easy for you to navigate, I’ve set some conventions:
Spanish terms are set in
boldface
to make them stand out. They’re accompanied by pronunciations, set in normal type with stressed syllables in
italics
(see the following bullet), and English translations, also set in
italics.
(Exception: The “Words to Know” tables underline stressed syllables and don’t specially format Spanish words or the translations.)
Within the pronunciation brackets, I separate all the words that have more than one syllable with a hyphen, like this: (
kah
-sah).
Verb conjugations (in charts that show you the forms of a verb) are given in tables in this order: the
I
form, the
you
(singular, familiar) form, the
he/she/you
(singular, formal) form, the
we
form, and the
they/you
(plural, formal) form. Pronunciations follow in the second column. Here’s an example:
Conjugation
Pronunciation
yo llevo
yoh yeh-bvoh
tú llevas
tooh yeh-bvahs
él, ella, usted lleva
ehl, eh-yah, oohs-tehd yeh-bvah
nosotros, nosotras llevamos
noh-soh-trohs, noh-soh-trahs yeh-bvah-mohs
ellos, ellas, ustedes llevan
eh-yohs, eh-yahs, oohs-teh-dehs yeh-bvahn
Language learning is a peculiar beast, so this book includes a few elements that other For Dummies books don’t. Following are the new elements you encounter:
Talkin’ the Talk dialogues:
The best way to pick up a language is to see and hear how it’s used in conversation, so I include dialogues throughout the book. The dialogues come under the heading “Talkin’ the Talk” and show you the Spanish words, the pronunciation, and the English translation.
Words to Know tables:
Memorizing key words and phrases is also important in language learning, so I collect the important words that appear in a Talkin’ the Talk dialogue and write them on a chalkboard with the heading “Words to Know.”
Fun & Games practice activities:
If you don’t have actual Spanish-speakers to practice your new language skills on (and even if you do), you can use the Fun & Games activities to reinforce what you learn. These word games are fun ways to challenge yourself and gauge your progress. You can find the answers to each exercise in
Appendix C
.
Mini-dictionaries:
Because words are the building blocks of any language I provide Spanish-to English and English-to Spanish mini dictionaries in
Appendix A
in the back of the book. These mini-dictionaries provide many common vocabulary words that you may want to use in your conversations or that you have a question about.
Verb tables:
In every language you use different forms of a verb to show who or what is doing the action and when they are doing it. I cover this briefly in
Chapter 2
and include additional verb tables with the present, past, and future tenses in
Appendix B
.
Although the English translations that I provide for the Spanish terms may not be exactly literal, I want you to know the gist of what’s being said, not just the words that are being said. For example, you can translate the Spanish phrase de nada (deh nah-dah) literally as of nothing, but the phrase really means you’re welcome (as in, think nothing of it). This book gives the you’re welcome translation.
Foolish Assumptions
To write this book, I had to make some assumptions about who you are and what you want from a book called Spanish For Dummies. Here are the assumptions that I’ve made about you:
You know no Spanish — or if you took Spanish back in school, you don’t remember a word of it.
You’re primarily interested in communicating verbally in Spanish, not in reading or writing Spanish, though this book can help with that, too.
You’re not looking for a book that will make you fluent in Spanish; you just want to know some words, phrases, and sentence constructions so that you can communicate basic information in Spanish.
You don’t want to have to memorize long lists of vocabulary words or a bunch of boring grammar rules, but you do want some guidance on grammar to deepen your understanding and use of the language.
You want to have fun and learn a little bit of Spanish at the same time.
If these statements apply to you, you’ve found the right book!
Icons Used in This Book
You may be looking for particular information while reading this book. To make certain types of information easier for you to find, I’ve placed the following icons in the left-hand margins throughout the book:
Pay close attention to the information marked with this icon; it’s something so important that you should commit it to memory.
This icon highlights tips that can make learning Spanish easier.
Languages are full of quirks that may trip you up if you’re not prepared for them. This icon points to discussions of these weird grammar rules.
If you’re looking for information and advice about culture and travel, look for these icons. They draw your attention to interesting tidbits about the countries in which Spanish is spoken.
The audio tracks included with this book give you the opportunity to listen to real Spanish speakers so that you can get a better understanding of what Spanish sounds like. This icon marks the Talkin’ the Talk dialogues that you can find available as audio tracks online.
I like to think that you’ll read every word in this book, but I also know that you’re eager to start immersing yourself in Spanish. So feel free to skip the sidebars (those gray-shaded boxes sprinkled throughout the chapters); they’re full of interesting information but not essential to your study of Spanish.
Beyond the Book
In addition to the information in this book, you also have access to other free resources. I created a Spanish For Dummies Cheat Sheet as a quick reference to help you navigate some everyday conversations. The Cheat Sheet includes some essential words and phrases, basic questions, words and phrases that you might need in an emergency, and more. You can find it, along with other Spanish language information, by going to www.dummies.com and entering “Spanish For Dummies Cheat Sheet” in the search bar.
You can find the audio files for some of “Talkin’ the Talk” dialogues at www.dummies.com/go/spanishfd3e. Download the tracks for help in pronunciation and inflection. The only way to really know and love a language is to speak it. Throughout the book, I give you lots of words, phrases, and dialogues complete with pronunciations. Although the audio tracks are only a sampling of the dialogues in this book, I’ve provided a broad selection that should serve most of your basic needs.
Where to Go from Here
The best way to learn a language is to immerse yourself in it. Listen to the way Spanish sounds, concentrate on the pronunciation, and look at how it’s written. By listening and repeating, you enter a new world of ideas and peoples. Acquiring Spanish through immersion really does feel like a sort of magic.
If you’ve never taken Spanish lessons before, you may want to read the chapters in Part 1 before tackling the later chapters. Part 1 gives you some of the basics you need to know about the language.
Discovering a language is all about jumping in and giving it a try (no matter how bad your pronunciation is at first). So make the leap! Start at the beginning, pick a chapter that interests you, or listen to a few dialogues in the audio tracks. Just be sure to speak as well as listen and have fun along the way!
Part 1
Getting Started
IN THIS PART …
Get your feet wet with the Spanish basics.
Brush up on everything you need to know about Spanish grammar to start speaking it.
Exchange pleasantries with other Spanish speakers using common expressions.
Discover how to count in Spanish, tell time, talk about the days of the week, make dates, and convert your favorite measurements into metric equivalents.
Start speaking Spanish at home, where you can pick up all sorts of useful words and phrases.
Chapter 2
Warming Up with Spanish Grammar Basics
IN THIS CHAPTER
Understanding simple sentence construction
Asking basic questions in Spanish
Starting out right with subject pronouns
Adding action with regular and irregular verbs
Recognizing gender with articles and adjectives
Speaking a language is like driving a car. When you know what you’re doing, driving becomes second nature. You don’t even think about accelerating, steering, braking, or even reading the road signs — you just drive. Spanish is the same. As soon as you internalize the vocabulary and grammar, you read, write, and speak almost instinctively.
Knowing what you’re doing means knowing the rules of the road, and for Spanish, those rules constitute grammar. You don’t need to know a whole lot of grammar to begin speaking the language, but keeping some basic rules in mind can help you make sense of the topic and provide you with the framework for a clearer understanding of what you’re studying and why. This chapter brings you up to speed in a hurry.
Breaking Down Simple Sentence Structure
Naturally, when you meet people, you want to talk to them. And how do you go about that? In sentences, of course. In Spanish, as in English, you form a sentence by combining a subject, a verb, and perhaps further descriptive information. For example:
La casa es grande. (lah kah-sah ehs grahn-deh.) (The house is big.)
Here, the subject of the sentence is la casa (lah kah-sah) (the house); then comes the verb, es (ehs) (is); after that comes the adjective, grande (grahn-deh) (big), which describes the house. Here are some more examples:
La mujer es bella.
(lah mooh-
Hehr
ehs
bveh
-yah.) (
The woman is beautiful.
)
El hombre es alto.
(ehl
ohm
-bvreh ehs
ahl
-toh.) (
The man is tall.
)
Before you begin to examine the basic building blocks of a sentence, familiarize yourself with the two essential components of every sentence — subject and predicate.
The
subject
is the entity performing the action along with anything that describes the subject. The subject, when stated, is always a noun or a pronoun.
The
predicate
is everything else — the action (or verb) and everything related to that action.
To form a negative sentence you simply add a no in front of the verb as shown in the following examples:
El carro no es nuevo.
(ehl
kah
-rroh noh ehs nooh
eh
-bvoh.) (
The car isn’t new.
)
El perro no es bueno.
(ehl
peh
-rroh noh ehs bvooh
eh
-noh.) (
The dog isn’t good.
)
Forming Questions: The Basics
I have some good news for you: Forming a question in Spanish is easy. All you have to do is invert the order of the subject and the verb. Where you say Ésta es … . (ehs-tah ehs … .) (This is … .) in a regular statement, for a question you say ¿Es ésta … ? (¿ehs ehs-tah … ?) (Is this … ?).
Check out this example:
Ésta es la puerta.
(
ehs
-tah ehs lah pooh
ehr
-tah.) (
This is the door.
)
¿Es ésta la puerta?
(¿ehs
ehs
-tah lah pooh
ehr
-tah?) (
Is this the door?
)
To answer a question in the affirmative, you follow exactly the same sentence model used in English. That is, you add the word yes in front of the response, followed by a comma. For example:
¿Es la sopa buena?
(¿ehs lah
soh
-pah bvooh
eh
-nah?) (
Is the soup good?
)
Sí, la sopa es buena.
(see, lah
soh
-pah ehs bvooh
eh
-nah.) (
Yes, the soup is good.
)
To answer in the negative, all you have to do is insert the word no at the beginning of your answer in front of the subject followed by a comma and again before the verb (almost the way you do in English, but easier). An example:
¿Es ése el carro?
(¿ehs
eh
-seh ehl
kah
-rroh?) (
Is that the car?
)
No, ése no es el carro.
(noh,
eh
-seh noh ehs ehl
kah
-rro.) (
No, that isn’t the car.
)
The following sentences were affirmative statements in the preceding section, and now I’m using them to demonstrate the yes or no questioning format followed by negative responses:
¿Es bella la mujer?
(¿ehs
bveh
-yah lah mooh-
Hehr?
) (
Is the woman beautiful?
)
No, la mujer no es bella.
(noh, lah mooh-
Hehr
noh ehs
bveh
-yah.) (
No, the woman isn’t beautiful.
)
¿Es alto el hombre?
(¿ehs
ahl
-toh ehl
ohm
-bvreh?) (
Is the man tall?
)
No, el hombre no es alto.
(noh, ehl
ohm
-bvreh noh ehs
ahl
-toh.) (
No, the man isn’t tall.
)
Note in these examples that the Spanish questions usually place the adjective in front of the subject, while in English the adjective follows the subject.
Meeting Subject Pronouns Face to Face
A subject pronoun is a word used in place of a subject noun. Instead of saying “Lucy fried an egg,” for example, you can say, “She fried an egg.” She (the subject pronoun) replaces Lucy (the subject noun).
In English, you use subject pronouns all the time in place of, or to avoid, repeating subject nouns. It saves a lot of time and effort, to write (or say) “They left” rather than “Mr. Anthony Bolavolunta and Miss Cleopatra Johnson left.” The subject pronouns I, you, he, she, we, and they enable you to speak more clearly and concisely after the subject has been stated and understood. Subject nouns and pronouns alike are followed by the appropriate forms of the verbs to express actions.
You don’t use Spanish subject pronouns as frequently as their English counterparts, because a Spanish verb ending indicates the subject. Spanish subject pronouns are used when the subject has not been stated or is unclear or to emphasize the subject.
Just like in English, Spanish subject pronouns have different forms. As shown in Table 2-1, there are singular and plural pronouns in first, second, or third person forms.
TABLE 2-1 Spanish Subject Pronouns
Person
Singular
Meaning
Plural
Meaning
1st person
yo (yoh)
I
nosotros/nosotras (noh-soh-trohs/noh-soh-trahs)
we (nosotros when “we” are all male or a mixed group, and nosotras when “we” is a group of all females)
2nd person informal
tú (tooh)
You (familiar)
2nd person formal
usted (Ud.) (oohs-tehd)
You (formal)
ustedes (Uds.) (oohs-teh-dehs)
You (plural, formal)
3rd person
él (ehl) ella (eh-yah)
heshe
ellos (eh-yohs) ellas (eh-yahs)
they (for a group of all males or both males and females)they (for a group of all females)
You don’t express the English pronoun it as a subject in Spanish; it is implied from the context of the sentence:
¿Qué es?
(¿keh ehs?) (
What is it?
)
Es una herramienta.
(ehs
ooh
-nah eh-rrah-mee
ehn
-tah.) (
It’s a tool.
)
The following sections help you select the correct subject pronouns for all circumstances in all parts of the Spanish-speaking world.
A few words about yo
Unlike the English subject pronoun I, which is always capitalized, the Spanish pronoun yo is capitalized only at the beginning of a sentence. Since the conjugated verb ending used for yo makes it clear that the subject of the sentence is I,yo can be omitted from the sentence and the sentence can simply start with the verb. Here’s an example:
(Yo) Me voy. ([yoh] meh bvohy.) (I’m leaving.)
Nosotros and nosotras
When you’re talking about someone else and yourself at the same time, you must use we (nosotros/nosotras). Nosotros refers to more than one male or to a combined group of males and females, no matter the number of each gender present. Nosotras refers to a group of females only:
Jorge y yo (Nosotros) jugamos al tenis.
(
Hohr
-Heh ee yoh [noh-
soh
-trohs] Hooh-
gah
-mohs ahl
teh
-nees.) (
Jorge and I [We] play tennis.
)
Luz y yo (Nosotras) jugamos al tenis.
(loohs ee yoh [noh-
soh
-trahs] Hooh-
gah
-mohs ahl
teh
-nees.) (
Luz and I [We] play tennis.
) (of course, only if ”I” is female.)
It’s you, you know: The tú/usted issue
People use both body language and spoken language to convey how they want a relationship to develop. Relationships tend to remain more formal in Spanish than in English. If you need to express respect or formality in English, the respectful terms are used such as sir or ma’am, or courtesy titles like Mr., Mrs., or Ms. Respect is also shown by the tone of voice. In Spanish, the distinction between tú (tooh) and usted (oohs-tehd) allows you to introduce this formality right into the language.
Spanish speakers use tú to informally address friends and family, and usted to show respect when talking to a new acquaintance, an older person, or in formal situations such as in a business relationship. Most adults address children by using tú.
At some point in a relationship between people who speak Spanish, a shift occurs from the formal usted to the more informal and intimate tú. Two people of the same age, the same social status, or the same educational level, or people who want to express a certain intimacy, very soon arrive at a point where they want to talk to each other in a more informal or intimate manner. It’s at this point that they use the word tú when addressing each other. In Spanish, you call this tutearse (tooh-tehahr-seh) — that is, to usetú. On the other hand, if you don’t want to have a closer, more intimate relationship with someone, or if you want to keep the relationship more professional and less chummy, you should continue using the usted form.
Following are some examples of sentences that use tú and usted:
¿Vas tú con Juan?
(¿bvahs tooh kohn Hooh
ahn
?) (
Are you
[friendly, informal]
going with Juan?
)
¿Cómo se llama usted?
(
¿koh
-moh seh
yah
-mah oohs-
tehd?
) (
What’s your
[formal]
name?
)
Usted tiene una casa muy bella.
(oohs-
tehd
tee
eh
-neh
ooh
-nah
kah
-sah
mooh
ee
bveh
-yah.) (
You
[formal]
have a very beautiful home.
)
When people in Spain want to address several people informally, they use the word vosotros (bvoh-soh-trohs), which is the plural form of tú. Spanish-speaking Americans tend to disregard the vosotros form in conversation but may use it in formal, written papers or correspondence. In Spanish-speaking Latin America, people use ustedes (meaning you, in the plural). This ustedes can be a formal way of addressing two or more people, or it can be very informal — the situation dictates the difference. Here are some examples of ustedes in action both ways:
¿Adónde van ustedes?
(¿ah-
dohn
-deh bvahn oohs-
teh
-dehs?) (
Where are you guys going?
) [Formal]
¿Ustedes van conmigo, ¿Verdad?
(¿oohs-
teh
-dehs bvahn kohn-
mee
-goh, ¿bvehr-
dahd?
) (
You guys are going with me. Right?
) [Informal]
¿Bailan ustedes el tango?
(
¿bvah
ee-lahn oohs-
teh
-dehs ehl
tahn
-goh?) (
Do you dance the tango?
) [Formal]
You always write the abbreviations for you singular and plural as Ud. (usted) and Uds. (ustedes) with capital letters, even though you write the English equivalent you with a lowercase letter unless it appears at the beginning of a sentence. When usted and ustedes aren’t abbreviated, they’re capitalized only at the beginning of a sentence. When you read these abbreviations aloud, you say the whole word. Here are some examples:
¿Busca Ud. (usted) algo?
(¿
boohs
-kah oohs-
tehd ahl
-goh?) (
Are you looking for something?
)
¿Necesitan Uds. (ustedes) ayuda?
(¿neh-seh-
see
-tahn oohs-
teh
-dehs ah-
yooh
-dah?) (
