Inklingo
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A colorful, simplified illustration showing a solitary human figure standing upright and confidently in an empty space, representing the sense of self.

ego

EH-goh

nounmB2
ego?sense of self,self-importance?conceit or excessive pride
Also:self?philosophical concept

📝 In Action

Tiene un ego muy grande y no acepta críticas.

B2

He has a very large ego and doesn't accept criticism.

El psicólogo habló sobre la necesidad de equilibrar el ego y el altruismo.

C1

The psychologist spoke about the need to balance the ego and altruism.

Su ego se sintió herido cuando perdió el partido.

B2

His self-importance felt hurt when he lost the game.

Word Connections

Synonyms

Antonyms

  • humildad (humility)

Common Collocations

  • tener un ego inflado – to have an inflated ego
  • herir el ego – to hurt someone's ego

💡 Grammar Points

Masculine Noun Rule

Even though 'ego' ends in 'o', which usually indicates a masculine noun, remember that it almost always uses the masculine article 'el' (el ego).

❌ Common Pitfalls

Misusing the Article

Mistake: "La ego de mi jefe es enorme."

Correction: El ego de mi jefe es enorme. (Use the masculine article 'el'.)

⭐ Usage Tips

Plural Form

The plural form is 'egos'. It is generally used when discussing different people's sense of self or different aspects of the psychological concept.

✏️ Quick Practice

💡 Quick Quiz: ego

Question 1 of 1

Which sentence correctly uses 'ego' to describe self-importance?

📚 More Resources

Word Family

egocéntrico(egocentric) - adjective
egoísmo(selfishness) - noun
egoísta(selfish person) - noun/adjective

Frequently Asked Questions

Is 'ego' used exactly the same way in Spanish as in English?

Yes, 'ego' is a direct borrowing and is used almost identically in Spanish. It can refer both to the technical psychological concept (the 'self') and, more commonly, to someone's pride, self-esteem, or excessive sense of self-importance.

¿Cómo se dice 'big ego'?

You can say 'un ego grande' or, more commonly, 'un ego inflado' (an inflated ego) or 'un ego enorme'.