estar solo
/estaɾ solo/from spelling rules
In Spanish, being alone is estar solo.
The phrase describes the state of not having any other people with you at a particular time.
Which one should you use?
This phrase uses the verb estar because being alone is considered a temporary state or condition rather than a permanent characteristic. Do not confuse this with ser solo, which is typically used to mean 'to be only' or 'to be just' (for example, soy solo un niño means 'I am only a child').
How does it change in a sentence?
The form of the adjective must match the person being described. If the person being alone is female, use the feminine form estar sola. If you are referring to a group of people being alone, use the masculine plural form estar solos.
How do you pronounce it?
/estaɾ solo/
Did you know?
- In some Spanish-speaking cultures, saying estoy solo when a partner is asked about their relationship status can be a subtle way to say they are single.
- The word estar shares an ancestral root with the English word 'state', both stemming from the Latin 'stare', meaning 'to stand'.
- While estar solo describes the physical state of being alone, Spanish uses the word soledad to describe the emotional feeling of loneliness.
Examples in context
- Me gusta estar solo.I like being alone.This sentence is useful for expressing a preference for being alone.Tatoeba #549511 by Shishir, translation #256057 by CK
- No me gusta estar solo.I dislike being alone.This sentence is useful for expressing a dislike of being alone.Tatoeba #989555 by hayastan, translation #27616 by CK
- A Tom le gusta estar solo.Tom likes being alone.This sentence is useful for expressing that someone else enjoys being alone.Tatoeba #1104955 by Shishir, translation #1024577 by CK
- Estoy solo/a en casa hoy.I am alone at home today.
- Me siento solo/a cuando nadie me entiende.I feel alone when nobody understands me.
- 7 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Daniel and Lucía are talking at a coffee shop.
- Daniel¿Te molesta estar sola en casa?Does it bother you being alone at home?
- LucíaNo, de hecho, me gusta estar sola.No, actually, I like being alone.
- DanielYo prefiero estar solo para estudiar.I prefer being alone to study.
- LucíaEntiendo, a veces es necesario estar solo.I understand, sometimes it is necessary to be alone.
Sources
- IPA marked “from spelling rules” is derived from standard Spanish spelling, where Wiktionary gives none.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries estar, solo, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
