Te escribo esta carta
/te eskɾibo esta kaɾta/from spelling rules
The English phrase "I am writing you this letter" is translated into Spanish as Te escribo esta carta.
What does it mean word for word?
Literally, Te escribo esta carta means "To you I write this letter" because the indirect object te precedes the verb.
Which one should you use?
While English uses the present continuous "I am writing", Spanish often uses the simple present escribo to express an action currently in progress or a current state.
How does it change in a sentence?
If you are writing to someone you address as "usted" (formal you), you must change the indirect object pronoun from te to le.
How do you pronounce it?
/te eskɾibo esta kaɾta/
Did you know?
- The word carta is also the Spanish word for a 'menu' in a restaurant. So, depending on the context, you might be telling someone 'I am writing you this menu'.
- The word carta shares a common ancestor with the English words 'card' and 'chart'. All three words trace back to the Greek word for 'papyrus'.
- In some Spanish-speaking cultures, it is common to start a formal carta with the phrase Estimado, which translates to 'esteemed'.
Examples in context
- Le escribo esta carta para expresar mi gratitud por su ayuda en este asunto tan importante.I am writing you this letter to express my gratitude for your assistance in this matter.
- Estimado Sr. Rodríguez, le escribo esta carta para solicitar información sobre los productos que ofrece su empresa.Dear Mr. Rodríguez, I am writing you this letter to request information about the products your company offers.
- Te escribo esta carta para invitarte a mi fiesta de cumpleaños este sábado.I am writing you this letter to invite you to my birthday party this Saturday.
- Querida Ana, te escribo esta carta para contarte sobre mis últimas vacaciones.Dear Ana, I am writing you this letter to tell you about my recent vacation.
- Te escribo esta carta para contarte mis noticias.I am writing you this letter to tell you my news.
- Te escribo esta carta con mucha alegría.I am writing you this letter with much joy.
- Te escribo esta carta para pedirte un favor.I am writing you this letter to ask you a favor.
Example conversation
Sofía is explaining her message to Alejandro.
- SofíaHola Alejandro, te escribo esta carta desde Italia.Hello Alejandro, I am writing you this letter from Italy.
- Alejandro¡Qué sorpresa! Gracias por escribirme, Sofía.What a surprise! Thanks for writing to me, Sofía.
- SofíaQuiero contarte todo sobre mi viaje.I want to tell you everything about my trip.
- AlejandroEspero leer todas tus noticias pronto.I hope to read all your news soon.
Sources
- IPA marked “from spelling rules” is derived from standard Spanish spelling, where Wiktionary gives none.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries carta, esta, te, CC BY-SA 4.0.
