así
“así” means “like this” in Spanish. It has 4 different meanings depending on context:
like this, this wayAlso: so
📝 In Action
Tienes que poner la mesa así.
A1You have to set the table like this.
Me gusta mi café así, con mucha leche.
A1I like my coffee this way, with a lot of milk.
No me hables así.
A2Don't talk to me like that.
Word Connections
so, thereforeAlso: thus, that's why
📝 In Action
Llovía mucho, así que decidimos quedarnos en casa.
A2It was raining a lot, so we decided to stay home.
No estudió, y así suspendió el examen.
B1He didn't study, and so he failed the exam.
El vuelo se canceló, así que tendremos que buscar un hotel.
B1The flight was canceled, so we will have to look for a hotel.
Word Connections
so, thisAlso: that
📝 In Action
Nunca he visto un pastel así de grande.
B1I've never seen a cake so big.
¿Por qué estás así de enfadado?
B1Why are you this angry?
No sabía que el problema era así de complicado.
B2I didn't know the problem was that complicated.
Word Connections
📝 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
✏️ Quick Practice
Quick Quiz: así
Question 1 of 2
Which sentence uses 'así' to mean 'so' or 'therefore'?
📚 More Resources
🎵 Rhymes
📚 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)
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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).