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así

ah-SEEaˈsi

like this, this way

Also: so
A pair of hands demonstrating how to neatly fold a t-shirt, representing the meaning 'like this' or 'in this way'.

📝 In Action

Tienes que poner la mesa así.

A1

You have to set the table like this.

Me gusta mi café así, con mucha leche.

A1

I like my coffee this way, with a lot of milk.

No me hables así.

A2

Don't talk to me like that.

Word Connections

Synonyms

  • de esta manera (in this way)
  • de este modo (in this manner)

Common Collocations

  • así de fácil – it's that easy
  • así de simple – it's that simple

Idioms & Expressions

  • las cosas son así – that's just the way things are

so, therefore

Also: thus, that's why
A domino falling and hitting the next one in a line, showing a cause-and-effect relationship for the meaning 'so' or 'therefore'.

📝 In Action

Llovía mucho, así que decidimos quedarnos en casa.

A2

It was raining a lot, so we decided to stay home.

No estudió, y así suspendió el examen.

B1

He didn't study, and so he failed the exam.

El vuelo se canceló, así que tendremos que buscar un hotel.

B1

The flight was canceled, so we will have to look for a hotel.

Word Connections

Synonyms

  • por lo tanto (therefore)
  • entonces (so / then)
  • por eso (that's why)

Common Collocations

  • así que – so, therefore
  • y así – and so

so, this

Also: that
A pair of hands held apart to show a specific size, representing the meaning 'this' or 'so' when describing a degree (e.g., 'this big').

📝 In Action

Nunca he visto un pastel así de grande.

B1

I've never seen a cake so big.

¿Por qué estás así de enfadado?

B1

Why are you this angry?

No sabía que el problema era así de complicado.

B2

I didn't know the problem was that complicated.

Word Connections

Synonyms

Common Collocations

  • así de + adjetivo – this + adjective (e.g., this tall)

so-so

Also: okay, middling
A1informal
Spain
A neutral face with a flat, straight mouth, indicating a 'so-so' or middling feeling, for the expression 'así así'.

📝 In Action

- ¿Cómo estás? - Así así.

A1

- How are you? - So-so.

- ¿Qué tal la película? - Así así, no era muy buena.

A1

- How was the movie? - So-so, it wasn't very good.

Word Connections

Synonyms

  • más o menos (more or less)
  • regular (okay, fair)

Translate to Spanish

Words that translate to "así" in Spanish:

like this→middling→this way→thus→

✏️ Quick Practice

Quick Quiz: así

Question 1 of 2

Which sentence uses 'así' to mean 'so' or 'therefore'?

📚 More Resources

🎵 Rhymes▼
aquíallípaísrubí
📚 Etymology▼

Comes from the Latin word 'sic', which meant 'so' or 'thus'. It's related to the 'si' in the English word 'per se'.

First recorded: Around the 10th century.

Cognates (Related words)

Portuguese: assimItalian: cosìFrench: ainsi

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Frequently Asked Questions

What's the difference between 'así' and 'así que'?

Think of 'así' as the base word, often meaning 'like this'. 'Así que' is a specific two-word phrase that almost always means 'so' or 'therefore', used to connect a cause and its result. For example, 'Hazlo así' (Do it like this) vs. 'Estaba cansado, así que me fui a dormir' (I was tired, so I went to sleep).

Can I use 'así' to mean 'like that'?

Yes, absolutely. 'Así' can mean both 'like this' (referring to something close to you) and 'like that' (referring to something someone else did or said). The context makes it clear. For example, if someone is rude, you can say 'No se habla así' (One doesn't speak like that).