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y

eei

“y” means “and” in Spanish. It has 2 different meanings depending on context:

Two simple, different colored puzzle pieces fitting together perfectly, symbolizing connection.

📝 In Action

Quiero pan y queso.

A1

I want bread and cheese.

Mi hermano es alto y simpático.

A1

My brother is tall and nice.

Ella lee un libro y él escucha música.

A2

She reads a book and he listens to music.

Word Connections

Synonyms

  • e (and (used before i/hi))

Antonyms

Common Collocations

  • tú y yo – you and I
  • blanco y negro – black and white
  • tarde y mal – late and badly (better late than never)

And...?

Also: What about...?
ConjunctionA1informal
A person pointing to another person with a friendly, questioning expression, with a large question mark floating above the second person's head.

📝 In Action

—Hola, estoy bien. ¿Y tú?

A1

—Hi, I'm well. And you?

—Me gusta el fútbol. ¿Y a ti?

A1

—I like soccer. And you?

Mi vuelo sale a las diez. ¿Y el tuyo?

A2

My flight leaves at ten. And yours?

Word Connections

Common Collocations

  • ¿Y tú? – And you?
  • ¿Y qué? – So what?
  • ¿Y eso? – And why is that? / How come?

🔀 Commonly Confused With

Translate to Spanish

Words that translate to "y" in Spanish:

and→what about...?→

🗣️ Practice in a Tongue Twister

✏️ Quick Practice

Quick Quiz: y

Question 1 of 1

Which of these sentences is written correctly?

📚 More Resources

🎵 Rhymes▼
📚 Etymology▼

Comes from the Latin word 'et', which also meant 'and'. Over time, the 't' sound was dropped, leaving just the 'e' sound, which we now write as 'y'.

First recorded: Before the 12th century

Cognates (Related words)

French: etItalian: eCatalan: i

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Frequently Asked Questions

Why does 'y' sometimes change to 'e'?

It changes for sound reasons, to make the language flow better. When the word that follows starts with an 'i' or 'hi' sound (like 'iglesia' or 'hijo'), Spanish uses 'e' to avoid two similar 'ee' sounds clashing together. It's like how in English we say 'an apple' instead of 'a apple'.

Is 'y' always pronounced like the 'ee' in 'see'?

Yes, when it stands alone as the word for 'and', it's always pronounced with a clear 'ee' sound. This is different from the 'y' you might see in other words like 'yo' or 'playa', where it has a 'yuh' sound.

Can I start any question with 'y'?

Not just any question. It's best used to ask about something related to what was just said, or to ask the same question back to the other person. It's a way of saying, 'Okay, now for this other thing...' or 'And what about you?'.