depende
“depende” means “It depends” in Spanish. It has 2 different meanings depending on context:
It depends
Also: That depends
📝 In Action
¿Vienes a la fiesta el sábado? — Depende.
A1Are you coming to the party on Saturday? — It depends.
¿Podemos terminar esto hoy? — Depende de si llega el material.
A2Can we finish this today? — It depends on whether the material arrives.
depends
Also: relies
📝 In Action
Mi felicidad no depende del dinero.
B1My happiness does not depend on money.
La luz depende de la energía solar.
B2The light relies on solar energy.
🔄 Conjugations
indicative
present
imperfect
preterite
subjunctive
present
imperfect
Translate to Spanish
✏️ Quick Practice
Quick Quiz: depende
Question 1 of 2
Which sentence uses 'depende' correctly as a standalone answer?
📚 More Resources
👥 Word Family▼
🎵 Rhymes▼
📚 Etymology▼
The word comes from the Latin verb *dependēre*, which literally meant 'to hang down from.' This origin perfectly captures the meaning, as one thing 'hangs' or relies upon another.
First recorded: Around the 13th century in Spanish
Cognates (Related words)
💡 Master Spanish
Take your Spanish to the next level. Read 200+ illustrated and narrated Spanish stories tailored to your level with the Inklingo app!
Frequently Asked Questions
Why do Spanish speakers sometimes say 'Depende' instead of 'Dependo' when they mean 'I depend on...'?
They use 'Depende' because they are answering a general question by implying 'The situation depends' or 'It depends.' If you want to say 'I depend on you,' you must use the first-person conjugation: 'Yo dependo de ti.'
Does 'depende' require any special words after it?
Yes. When you specify what something depends *on*, Spanish almost always uses the preposition 'de' (of/on) directly after the verb, forming the key phrase 'depende de...'