y

/ee/

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

The word 'y' works like a puzzle piece, connecting two words or ideas to make a complete thought.

y (Conjunction)

and?connecting items or ideas

📝 In Action

Quiero pan y queso.

I want bread and cheese.

Mi hermano es alto y simpático.

My brother is tall and nice.

Ella lee un libro y él escucha música.

She reads a book and he listens to music.

Related Words

Synonyms

e (and (used before i/hi))

Antonyms

o (or)
pero (but)

Common Collocations

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

💡 Grammar Points

The Special 'e' Rule

To sound more natural, Spanish changes 'y' to 'e' when the next word starts with an 'i' or 'hi' sound. For example, you say 'padre e hijo' (father and son), not 'padre y hijo'.

❌ Common Pitfalls

Forgetting to Change 'y' to 'e'

Mistake: "Es una película larga y interesante."

Correction: Es una película larga e interesante. Because 'interesante' starts with an 'i' sound, we use 'e' to avoid the two sounds clashing.

⭐ Usage Tips

Connecting Full Sentences

You can use 'y' to connect not just single words, but entire actions or sentences. For example, 'Fui a la tienda y compré leche' (I went to the store and I bought milk).

A person pointing to another person with a friendly, questioning expression, with a large question mark floating above the second person's head.

At the start of a question, 'y' is a simple way to ask 'what about...' or to return a question to someone else.

y (Conjunction)

And...??at the start of a question

Also:What about...??inquiring about someone or something else

📝 In Action

—Hola, estoy bien. ¿Y tú?

—Hi, I'm well. And you?

—Me gusta el fútbol. ¿Y a ti?

—I like soccer. And you?

Mi vuelo sale a las diez. ¿Y el tuyo?

My flight leaves at ten. And yours?

Related Words

Common Collocations

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

💡 Grammar Points

A Simple Way to Continue a Conversation

Using 'y' to start a question is a super common and friendly way to keep a conversation going by asking about the other person.

❌ Common Pitfalls

Connecting it to the Previous Sentence

Mistake: "Estoy bien y tú?"

Correction: Estoy bien. ¿Y tú? Think of '¿Y tú?' as its own separate, short sentence. It needs its own question marks.

⭐ Usage Tips

The 'Return' Question

This is the most natural way to ask someone the same question they just asked you. If someone asks '¿Cómo estás?', the perfect reply is 'Bien, ¿y tú?'.

✏️ Quick Practice

💡 Quick Quiz: y

Question 1 of 1

Which of these sentences is written correctly?

📚 More Resources

Words that Rhyme with y

ley

rey

hoy

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?'.