me alegro por ti
/me aleɡɾo poɾ ti/from spelling rules
The English phrase 'I am happy for you' can be translated into Spanish as me alegro por ti.
This phrase is used to tell someone that you feel glad about their good luck or success. While the English phrase uses an adjective, the Spanish version uses a reflexive verb to express the feeling of rejoicing.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase me alegro por ti is literally translated as 'I rejoice for you' because it utilizes the reflexive verb alegrarse.
Which one should you use?
The forms of this phrase change depending on whether you are addressing one person or a group of people, and whether the relationship is formal or informal.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In some Latin American countries, you may also hear the expressions Me da gusto tu éxito or Me pone feliz tu éxito to express happiness for someone's success.
How does it change in a sentence?
The phrase changes its ending based on the recipient. For a single person, you use ti (informal) or usted (formal). To address a group of people, you would use vosotros or ustedes.
How do you pronounce it?
/me aleɡɾo poɾ ti/
Did you know?
- In Spanish, the verb alegrar can be used to describe food. The phrase alegrar el paladar means to brighten or refresh the taste buds.
- Despite being used for 'happiness', the verb alegrarse is often used sarcastically in Spanish to express the opposite, similar to saying 'good for you' with a roll of the eyes in English.
- The word ti is a fossilized form from Latin 'tibi'. Even though most Spanish pronouns have evolved significantly from their Latin roots, ti remains a direct descendant of the Latin dative case.
Examples in context
- Juan, estoy feliz por ti. Has trabajado duro y te lo mereces. ¡Felicidades por tu nuevo trabajo!Juan, I am happy for you. You have worked hard and deserve it. Congratulations on your new job!
- Estoy feliz por ustedes, María y Carlos. Su boda fue hermosa y les deseo una vida llena de amor y felicidad.I am happy for you, María and Carlos. Your wedding was beautiful, and I wish you a life full of love and happiness.
- ¡Felicidades por tu premio, Ana! Estoy realmente feliz por tu éxito en la competencia de poesía.Congratulations on your award, Ana! I am truly happy for your success in the poetry competition.
- ¡Qué buena noticia! Me alegro mucho por ti.What great news! I am very happy for you.
- Me alegro por ti y por tu éxito.I am happy for you and your success.
- Es una gran noticia, me alegro por ti.It is great news, I am happy for you.
Example conversation
Daniel tells Lucía that he got a new job.
- Lucía¡Conseguí el trabajo, Lucía!I got the job, Lucia!
- Daniel¡Qué bien! Me alegro por ti, Daniel.That's great! I am happy for you, Daniel.
- LucíaMuchas gracias por el apoyo.Thank you very much for the support.
- DanielTe lo mereces totalmente.You totally deserve it.
Sources
- IPA marked “from spelling rules” is derived from standard Spanish spelling, where Wiktionary gives none.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries me, por, ti, CC BY-SA 4.0.
