¿Estás soltera?
direct, feminine
To ask a woman if she is single, say ¿Estás soltera? A softer and very common option is ¿Tienes novio?, which means "do you have a boyfriend?" It is also called ¿Estás libre?
Meaning: question about relationship status (phrase)
Ways to say it
| Spanish | Note |
|---|---|
| ¿Estás soltera? | direct, feminine |
| ¿Tienes novio? | common, casual |
| ¿Estás libre? | ambiguous |
Which one should you use?
¿Tienes novio? is less blunt because it asks about a boyfriend instead of a status. ¿Estás libre? can also mean "are you free?" as in available for plans, so the context matters.
How does it change in a sentence?
The word soltera ends in -a because it describes a woman. For a man it becomes soltero. The phrase uses estás, the informal you, so keep it for people your own age or people you already know.
What mistakes should you avoid?
Do not say ¿Eres soltera? Spanish uses estar for a relationship status that can change, so ¿Estás soltera? is the correct form.
Did you know?
- Many Spanish speakers prefer pareja ("partner") over novio when they do not know a person's situation, because it fits any relationship.
Examples in context
- ¿Estás soltera o tienes pareja?Are you single or do you have a partner?
- Perdona la pregunta, ¿tienes novio?Sorry for the question, do you have a boyfriend?
Example conversation
Diego asks Camila at a friend's birthday party.
- DiegoCamila, perdona la pregunta. ¿Estás soltera?Camila, sorry for the question. Are you single?
- CamilaSí, estoy soltera. ¿Por qué lo preguntas?Yes, I am single. Why do you ask?
- DiegoCuriosidad nada más.Just curious.
