Ways to say it
| Spanish | IPA |
|---|---|
| sobre | /ˈsobɾe/ |
| acerca de | /aˈθeɾka de/ /aˈseɾka de/ |
| de | /de/ |
| a propósito de | /a pɾoˈposito de/ |
| por | /poɾ/ /ˈpo/ |
| con lo de | /kon lo de/ (from spelling rules) |
| sobre lo de | /sobɾe lo de/ (from spelling rules) |
| al respecto | /al resˈpeɡto/ |
The various forms of 'about' in Spanish are used to express that something concerns or relates to a specific subject. While sobre is a standard preposition for 'concerning', other forms like a propósito de act as transitions meaning 'speaking of' and colloquialisms like con lo de refer to specific past events or 'that thing' previously discussed.
Which one should you use?
The forms differ based on nuance and context: sobre is used for the subject of something, while a propósito de is used to transition into a topic (speaking of). For referring to a specific matter or a previously mentioned situation in a casual way, use con lo de or sobre lo de. Al respecto is an adverbial phrase meaning 'regarding it' and is typically placed at the end of a sentence or clause.
Related words
How does it change in a sentence?
Al respecto functions as an adverbial phrase used to mean 'regarding that matter' or 'about it', often appearing at the end of a clause.
How do you pronounce it?
/ˈsobɾe/
What mistakes should you avoid?
Be careful not to over-rely on sobre for 'about' if you also mean 'on top of' a physical object, as sobre can describe physical position as well as a subject.
Did you know?
- The word sobre can be a noun meaning 'envelope'.
- While sobre means 'about', adding the prefix sobre- to a verb can transform it into an intensive, meaning 'too much' or 'excessively'.
- The word acerca in the phrase acerca de comes from the Latin 'circa', which is also the root of the English word 'circa' used for dates.
Examples in context
- Sé de qué va.I know what it's about.This example shows how to use de to say what something is about.Tatoeba #5645606 by arh, translation #5636517 by CK
- ¿Qué hay de ti?How about you?This example demonstrates using de to ask 'how about you?'Tatoeba #1195815 by marcelostockle, translation #16491 by CK
- Sé mucho de ti.I know a lot about you.This example shows how to use de to express knowing something about a person.Tatoeba #4398219 by pchamorro, translation #1633598 by Amastan
- Este libro trata acerca de la historia de España.This book is about the history of Spain.
- Voy a dar una presentación sobre el cambio climático.I'm going to give a presentation about climate change.
- En relación con su pregunta anterior, permítame darle más información.Regarding your previous question, let me provide you with more information.
- ¿De qué hablaron?What did they talk about?
- ¿Has oído algo sobre el nuevo restaurante que abrió en el centro?Have you heard anything about the new restaurant that opened downtown?
- Me contó acerca de su viaje a México.He told me about his trip to Mexico.
- Fue un libro muy interesante de historia mexicana.It was a very interesting book about Mexican history.
- Estoy leyendo un libro que trata de la historia de España.I'm reading a book that is about the history of Spain.
- 3768 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Mateo and Sofía are discussing a documentary at a cafe.
- Mateo¿Viste el documental sobre el espacio?Did you see the documentary about space?
- SofíaSí, me encantó la información sobre las estrellas.Yes, I loved the information about the stars.
- MateoSofía, ¿quieres ver otro sobre el mar?Sofía, do you want to watch another one about the sea?
- SofíaClaro, Mateo, me parece una buena idea.Sure, Mateo, I think that's a good idea.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “about” translations and entries sobre, acerca de, de, a propósito de, por, al respecto, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- IPA marked “from spelling rules” is derived from standard Spanish spelling, where Wiktionary gives none.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries a, acerca, de, propósito, sobre, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
