porque lo digo yo
/poɾke lo diɡo ʝo/from spelling rules
The phrase 'because I said so' in Spanish is porque lo digo yo.
This phrase is used by an authority figure to assert their power and shut down further questioning or argument. It is a way to demand obedience without providing a reason. You can add y punto to the end of the phrase to emphasize that the decision is final and non-negotiable.
Which one should you use?
While porque lo digo yo is a standard way to express this, you may also hear Porque soy yo quien lo dice (Because it's me who says so) or Porque lo mando yo. Both are informal ways to convey the same sentiment.
How do you pronounce it?
/poɾke lo diɡo ʝo/
Did you know?
- In some Spanish-speaking households, porque lo digo yo is seen as the ultimate 'parental trump card'. Once uttered, continuing to argue is often viewed as a direct challenge to the family hierarchy rather than a simple disagreement.
- While English speakers use the phrase 'because I said so' to stop an argument, Spanish speakers often add y punto to signal the conversation is over. This literally translates to 'and dot' or 'and period'.
- The word digo shares the same Latin ancestor, 'dīcō', as the English word 'dictate'.
Examples in context
- Te equivocas porque lo digo yo y punto.You're wrong because I said so, and that's final.This sentence shows how to use porque lo digo yo alongside y punto to signal that a statement is final.Tatoeba #981639 by Shishir, translation #10134415 by DJ_Saidez
- Porque lo digo yo.Because I say so.
- Porque soy yo quien lo dice.Because it's me who says so.
- No quiero que salgas, porque lo digo yo.I don't want you to go out, because I said so.
- Haz la tarea ahora, porque lo digo yo.Do your homework now, because I said so.
Example conversation
A father telling his daughter to clean her room.
- AlejandroLucía, limpia tu cuarto ahora mismo.Lucía, clean your room right now.
- LucíaPero ¿por qué tengo que hacerlo ya?But why do I have to do it now?
- AlejandroPorque lo digo yo, y no hay más que hablar.Because I said so, and there is nothing more to discuss.
- LucíaEstá bien, Alejandro, lo haré.Fine, Alejandro, I'll do it.
Sources
- IPA marked “from spelling rules” is derived from standard Spanish spelling, where Wiktionary gives none.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries digo, lo, porque, yo, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
