¿Eres inglés?
The English phrase "are you english?" is translated into Spanish as ¿Eres inglés?
This phrase is used to ask if someone is English. Depending on the context, the word inglés can refer to either the English language or an English person.
How does it change in a sentence?
The adjective changes based on who you are addressing. If you are addressing a woman, the word changes from inglés to inglesa, making the phrase ¿Eres inglesa? To ask a group of people if they are English, use the plural form ¿Son ingleses?
What mistakes should you avoid?
Avoid the mistake of capitalizing nationalities. In Spanish, inglés should be written in lowercase unless it is the first word of a sentence.
Did you know?
- The verb eres is a linguistic oddity. It is actually a relic of the Latin future tense, 'you will be', which eventually replaced the standard Latin present tense form in Spanish.
- While inglés refers specifically to someone from England, Spanish speakers often use the term estadounidense to avoid confusing Americans with the British.
Examples in context
- No pareces de aquí, ¿eres inglés?You don't look like you're from here, are you English?
Example conversation
Daniel and Sofía are meeting at a language school in Madrid.
- DanielHola, ¿eres inglés?Hello, are you English?
- SofíaNo, soy francesa.No, I am French.
- DanielAh, entiendo. Yo soy español.Ah, I see. I am Spanish.
- SofíaMucho gusto, Daniel.Nice to meet you, Daniel.
Sources
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries eres, inglés, CC BY-SA 4.0.
