me especializo en español
/me espeθjaliθo en espaɲol/from spelling rules
The phrase "I am majoring in Spanish" in Spanish is me especializo en español.
This phrase is used by a student to state that Spanish is their primary subject of study at a college.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase me especializo en literally means "I specialize in".
Which one should you use?
While me especializo en español is a direct way to express your major, you can also use estudio español to say "I study Spanish", which is a simpler and more common way to express this in casual conversation.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In Spain, you might say Soy estudiante de filología hispánica to express your major. Additionally, in many Spanish-speaking academic contexts, instead of saying you specialize in a language, you might say your degree is in philology using the phrase mi carrera es la filología española.
How does it change in a sentence?
The verb especializarse is reflexive, which is why the phrase begins with the pronoun me.
How do you pronounce it?
/me espeθjaliθo en espaɲol/
Did you know?
- A linguistic theory suggests that español may be linked to the Hebrew word for 'hyrax', a small mammal. This stems from a possible connection between the name 'Hispani' and the Punic term for the 'coast of hyraxes'.
- Historically, the people of the Iberian Peninsula often referred to themselves as cristianos rather than by a specific nationality. A unified identity like 'Spanish' developed much later in history.
Examples in context
- Estoy estudiando español con especialización en literatura.I am studying Spanish with a specialization in literature.
- Me especializo en español en la universidad.I am majoring in Spanish at the university.
- Como estudiante, me especializo en español.As a student, I am majoring in Spanish.
- Actualmente, me especializo en español.Currently, I am majoring in Spanish.
Example conversation
Two students are talking in a university hallway.
- María¿Qué estudias, María?What are you studying, María?
- JavierMe especializo en español.I am majoring in Spanish.
- María¡Qué bien! Yo estudio historia.That's great! I study history.
- JavierEs una carrera muy interesante.It is a very interesting degree.
Sources
- IPA marked “from spelling rules” is derived from standard Spanish spelling, where Wiktionary gives none.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries en, español, me, CC BY-SA 4.0.
