yo soy
/ʝo soi/from spelling rules
The English phrase "I am" is translated into Spanish as yo soy.
yo soy is used to state who someone is or to describe a permanent characteristic of oneself, such as nationality, profession or personality.
What does it mean word for word?
yo means "I" and soy is the first-person singular present indicative form of the verb ser (to be).
Which one should you use?
yo soy is used for permanent characteristics, whereas yo estoy is used for temporary states or locations.
How does it change in a sentence?
The word Soy is the first-person singular form of the verb ser.
What mistakes should you avoid?
Do not use yo soy for temporary states or locations. Instead, use the verb estar (specifically the form yo estoy).
When do people say it?
Using yo soy can be preferred when you want to emphasize the "I" part to stress or contrast something.
Did you know?
- The word yo comes from the Classical Latin word egō̆, which is a direct ancestor of the English word 'I'.
- If someone says soy yo when answering a door or a phone, they are not just stating their identity but are often signaling 'It is I' or 'It is me'.
- In Spanish, you can often drop the yo and simply say soy to mean 'I am'. Because the verb ending specifically identifies the subject, the pronoun is frequently redundant.
Examples in context
- Yo soy más alto.I am taller.This sentence demonstrates using yo soy to describe a physical trait.Tatoeba #886051 by Shishir, translation #251869 by CK
- Yo soy tu padre.I am your father.This sentence demonstrates using yo soy to state a relationship.Tatoeba #3848503 by cueyayotl, translation #1769470 by wwkudu
- Yo soy tu vecino.I am your neighbour.Tatoeba #5364097 by cueyayotl, translation #10530709 by MarekMazurkiewicz
- Soy profesor.I am a teacher.
- Soy estadounidense.I am American.
- Estoy cansado/a.I am tired.
- Estoy en la biblioteca.I am at the library.
- Yo soy el que siempre llega temprano.I am the one who always arrives early.
- Estoy en casa.I am at home.
- 99 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Alejandro and Elena meet for the first time at a party.
- ElenaHola, yo soy Elena.Hello, I am Elena.
- AlejandroMucho gusto, yo soy Alejandro.Nice to meet you, I am Alejandro.
- ElenaEncantada de conocerte, Alejandro.Delighted to meet you, Alejandro.
- AlejandroIgualmente, Elena.Likewise, Elena.
Sources
- IPA marked “from spelling rules” is derived from standard Spanish spelling, where Wiktionary gives none.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries soy, yo, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
