me importas
/me impoɾtas/from spelling rules
The English phrase 'I care for you' is translated into Spanish as me importas.
Use this phrase to tell someone that they are important to you and that you value them.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase literally translates to 'you are important to me'.
Which one should you use?
Me importas expresses that someone is important to you, but it is distinct from te quiero, which is the standard way to say 'I love you' or 'I care for you' in a romantic or deeply affectionate sense.
How does it change in a sentence?
The form me importas uses the informal 'tú' conjugation. If you are speaking to someone formally, you should use me importa usted. Additionally, if the person or thing you care about is plural, the verb must change to me importan.
How do you pronounce it?
/me impoɾtas/
What mistakes should you avoid?
Avoid saying yo te importo to mean 'I care for you'. That phrase actually means 'I am important to you'.
Did you know?
- The word importar is a linguistic twin to the English 'import'. While in English 'import' usually refers to bringing goods into a country, in Spanish it is a common way to describe the emotional weight or significance someone holds in your life.
- The phrase me importas is often used in songs and poetry as a subtle way to express love without the heavy commitment of the word amor.
- While me importas is positive, adding the word no to create no me importas is a common way to tell someone they are irrelevant or that you do not care about their opinion.
Examples in context
- Me importas mucho.I care for you a great deal.This sentence is useful for expressing that you care about someone a lot using the form me importas.Tatoeba #5201298 by albrusgher, translation #3378903 by CK
- Me preocupo por ti y espero que te mejores pronto.I care for you and hope you get better soon.
- Eres una persona especial y me importas mucho.You are a special person, and you matter a lot to me.
- Eres mi mejor amigo y me importas mucho.You are my best friend, and I care about you a lot.
- Siempre puedes contar conmigo. Estoy aquí para lo que necesites.You can always count on me, I am here for whatever you need.
- Me importas más de lo que crees.I care for you more than you think.
- No lo olvides, me importas.Don't forget it, I care for you.
Example conversation
María is comforting Alejandro after a difficult day.
- MaríaNo te sientas solo en esto.Don't feel alone in this.
- AlejandroGracias, María, lo aprecio.Thank you, María, I appreciate it.
- MaríaMe importas, Alejandro, y siempre estaré aquí.I care for you, Alejandro, and I will always be here.
- AlejandroSignifica mucho para mí.That means a lot to me.
Sources
- IPA marked “from spelling rules” is derived from standard Spanish spelling, where Wiktionary gives none.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
