Which one should you use?
When talking about availability, libre is the correct word for being 'not busy'. Do not confuse this with gratis, which is used to mean 'free' in the sense of having zero cost. While ¿estás libre? is a common way to ask if someone is available, you might also use ¿Tienes tiempo? informally to ask if someone has time or ¿Tiene tiempo libre? in formal settings to ask if they have free time.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In Spain, a friendly and informal way to ask if someone is free is ¿Tienes un hueco?, which literally translates to "Do you have a free slot?"
How does it change in a sentence?
The form of the phrase changes depending on who you are addressing. If you are asking a group of people if they are free, use the plural form ¿están libres?
What mistakes should you avoid?
Avoid saying ¿estás gratis? In Spanish, gratis refers to something being free of charge, so this mistake makes it sound like you are asking if the person is available at no cost.
Did you know?
- Depending on the region, using ¿estás libre? can sometimes be interpreted as asking if someone is single or not in a relationship.
- In some Latin American contexts, the word libre is used to describe a bathroom that is not currently in use.
- The word libre shares a deep ancient root with the word for 'people', coming from a Proto-Indo-European term meaning 'the people'.
Examples in context
- Sí, estoy libreYes, I am free
- No, lo sientoNo, I'm sorry
- Quizás, ¿de qué se trata?Maybe, what is it about?
Sources
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries libre, CC BY-SA 4.0.
