cómo se deletrea
/komo se deletɾea/from spelling rules
The Spanish phrase for "how to spell" is cómo se deletrea.
This phrase is used to ask for the sequence of letters that form a specific word. To turn this into a direct question such as "How do you spell…?", simply add question marks and use the same word order: ¿Cómo se deletrea…?
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase literally translates to "how it is spelled". It uses the reflexive pronoun se to create a passive construction.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In Spain, you can use ¿Cómo se deletrea? interchangeably with ¿Cómo se escribe? In Latin America, you may hear ¿Cómo se escribe? instead of ¿Cómo se deletrea? in both formal and informal contexts.
How does it change in a sentence?
The verb deletrear is used in the third-person singular reflexive form se deletrea to refer to the spelling of a word in general.
What mistakes should you avoid?
English speakers often mistakenly use cómo deletrear (an infinitive), but in Spanish, the reflexive se deletrea is the natural way to express this.
Did you know?
- The reflexive pronoun se in this phrase actually evolved from the Latin word illī, which originally meant 'to him' or 'to her'.
- Spanish speakers often use a phonetic alphabet to clarify spelling over the phone, using words like Alfa and Bravo to avoid confusion between similar-sounding letters.
- In some contexts, the reflexive se in cómo se deletrea functions as an 'impersonal se', meaning 'one spells' or 'people spell' rather than referring to a specific person.
Examples in context
- No me acuerdo de cómo se deletrea su nombre.I can't remember how to spell her name.Tatoeba #959704 by hundo, translation #261309 by CK
- ¿Cómo se deletrea esta palabra?How do you spell this word?
- Dime cómo se deletrea tu apellido.Tell me how to spell your last name.
Example conversation
Daniel and Elena are at a registration desk.
- DanielDisculpe, ¿cómo se deletrea su nombre?Excuse me, how do you spell your name?
- ElenaEs Elena, con una sola L.It is Elena, with only one L.
- DanielGracias, ¿cómo se deletrea su apellido?Thank you, how do you spell your last name?
- ElenaSe deletrea G-A-R-C-I-A.It is spelled G-A-R-C-I-A.
Sources
- IPA marked “from spelling rules” is derived from standard Spanish spelling, where Wiktionary gives none.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries cómo, se, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
