How to Say "matter" in Spanish
The most common Spanish word for “matter” is “asunto” — use 'asunto' when referring to the subject or topic of a communication, a discussion, or an official matter..
asunto
/ah-SOON-toh//aˈsunto/
Examples
El asunto del correo electrónico era 'Reunión Urgente'.
The subject of the email was 'Urgent Meeting'.
Cambiemos de asunto, por favor. No quiero hablar de eso.
Let's change the subject, please. I don't want to talk about that.
El asunto principal de la clase de hoy es el medio ambiente.
The main topic of today's class is the environment.
Confusing with 'Sujeto'
Mistake: “Using 'sujeto' for the topic of a conversation. 'Sujeto' usually means a person or the subject of a sentence in grammar.”
Correction: For the topic of an email, book, or conversation, always use 'asunto' or 'tema'. For example, 'El asunto de la película es el amor' (The topic of the movie is love).
tema
/TEH-mah//ˈte.ma/
Examples
El tema principal de la reunión es el nuevo proyecto.
The main topic of the meeting is the new project.
No quiero hablar de ese tema ahora.
I don't want to talk about that subject now.
La amistad es un tema central en la novela.
Friendship is a central theme in the novel.
Masculine Nouns Ending in '-a'
Surprise! Even though 'tema' ends in '-a', it's a masculine word. You always say 'el tema' or 'un tema'. This is common for words that originally came from the Greek language, like 'problema', 'idioma', and 'mapa'.
Using the Wrong Gender
Mistake: “Me interesa *la tema* de la película.”
Correction: Me interesa *el tema* de la película. Remember, 'tema' is masculine, so it needs 'el', not 'la'.
importan
/eem-por-TAHN//im.poɾˈtan/
Examples
Los pequeños detalles siempre importan.
The small details always matter.
Para mí, sus palabras no me importan en absoluto.
For me, their words don't matter at all.
The 'Gustar' Structure
When using 'importar' to mean 'to matter,' the item that matters is the grammatical subject. Since 'importan' is plural, the thing(s) that matter must be plural: 'Los regalos (subject) importan (verb) a ella (indirect object).'
Directly Addressing People
This form 'importan' is used when speaking formally (Ustedes) or about a group of people (Ellos/Ellas) in the present tense: 'Ustedes importan la paz.' (You all value peace.)
Confusing the Subject
Mistake: “Yo importan la opinión. (I matter the opinion.)”
Correction: La opinión me importa. (The opinion matters to me.) Remember, the thing that matters is the subject, and the person affected is the object (me/te/le/nos/os/les).
cosa
/KOH-sah//ˈkosa/
Examples
La cosa es que no tengo dinero.
The thing is, I don't have any money.
Es una cosa de familia.
It's a family matter.
Hay otra cosa que quiero decirte.
There's another thing I want to tell you.
cuestión
Examples
La cuestión de la vivienda es muy grave en esta ciudad.
The issue of housing is very serious in this city.
preocupación
Examples
La seguridad de los datos es nuestra principal preocupación.
Data security is our main concern.
materia
/mah-TEH-reeah//maˈteɾja/
Examples
La física estudia las propiedades de la energía y la materia.
Physics studies the properties of energy and matter.
El agua puede cambiar de estado, pero sigue siendo la misma materia.
Water can change state, but it remains the same substance.
Mixing up 'materia' and 'material'
Mistake: “Usar 'la materia' para referirse a la tela o el tipo de cosa.”
Correction: Use 'el material' (the specific stuff used, like plastic or wood) instead of 'la materia' (the general concept of matter or substance) when talking about physical construction.
negocio
/neh-GO-syo//neˈɣo.sjo/
Examples
El divorcio de mis padres fue un negocio muy complicado.
My parents' divorce was a very complicated affair.
¡Vaya negocio en el que te has metido!
What a mess you've gotten yourself into!
Arreglar los papeles de la visa es todo un negocio.
Sorting out the visa paperwork is quite a whole thing/ordeal.
Asunto vs. Tema vs. Cuestión
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