es-
“es-” means “e- (before s + consonant)” in Spanish (phonetic stabilizer).
e- (before s + consonant)
Also: out / away, thoroughly
📝 In Action
No puedo hablar ahora, tengo mucho estrés.
A1I can't talk now, I have a lot of stress.
Tienes que escurrir el agua de los espaguetis.
B1You have to drain (let the water out of) the spaghetti.
Él es un esnob y solo usa ropa de marca.
B2He is a snob and only wears designer clothes.
Translate to Spanish
Words that translate to "es-" in Spanish:
thoroughly→✏️ Quick Practice
Quick Quiz: es-
Question 1 of 3
Why do Spanish words like 'estrés' start with 'E'?
📚 More Resources
👥 Word Family▼
📚 Etymology▼
Mainly derived from the Latin 'ex-', meaning 'out of' or 'away from'. In other cases, it developed naturally in Old Spanish to assist with the pronunciation of words starting with 's' and a consonant.
First recorded: Ancient Spanish / Latin roots
Cognates (Related words)
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Frequently Asked Questions
Is 'es-' a word on its own?
No, 'es-' is a prefix, which means it only exists when attached to the beginning of other words.
How is 'es-' different from 'ex-' in Spanish?
They are closely related! 'Ex-' is often used for things that are 'former' (like an ex-boyfriend), while 'es-' is more common for physical actions or words adapted for easier pronunciation.
Do I always add 'e' before any word starting with 'S'?
Only if the 'S' is followed by another consonant (like 'st', 'sp', or 'sl'). If the word starts with 'S' followed by a vowel (like 'sol' or 'sal'), you do NOT add an 'e'.