te
“te” means “you” in Spanish. It has 2 different meanings depending on context:
you
Also: yourself
📝 In Action
¿Cómo te llamas?
A1What is your name?
Te quiero mucho.
A1I love you a lot.
Te doy el libro.
A1I'm giving the book to you.
¿Te sientes bien?
A2Do you feel well?
tea
Also: tea plant
📝 In Action
¿Quieres una taza de té?
A1Do you want a cup of tea?
Me gusta el té verde con limón.
A2I like green tea with lemon.
El té de manzanilla es muy relajante.
B1Chamomile tea is very relaxing.
🔀 Commonly Confused With
Translate to Spanish
🗣️ Practice in a Tongue Twister
✏️ Quick Practice
Quick Quiz: te
Question 1 of 1
Which sentence correctly says 'I'll see you at five'?
📚 More Resources
👥 Word Family▼
📚 Etymology▼
The word 'te' has two different origins. As the pronoun 'you', it comes from the Latin word 'te'. As the noun 'tea', it was borrowed from the Min Nan Chinese word 'tê', which spread to Europe through trade routes.
First recorded: 10th century (pronoun), 17th century (noun)
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
What is the difference between 'te' and 'té'?
It's all about the accent mark! 'Te' (no accent) is a pronoun that means 'you' (informal). 'Té' (with an accent) is a noun that means the drink 'tea'. They sound identical but are used in completely different ways.
When do I use 'te' versus 'tú'?
Think of it this way: 'Tú' is the star of the show, the one doing the action (e.g., 'Tú hablas' - You speak). 'Te' is the one receiving the action (e.g., 'Yo te veo' - I see you). You wouldn't say 'I see you' as 'Yo veo tú'.
Is 'te' formal or informal?
The pronoun 'te' is always informal. It corresponds to the subject pronoun 'tú'. For formal situations where you would use 'usted', the correct object pronoun is 'le' (for indirect objects) or 'lo'/'la' (for direct objects).