yo
/ˈʝo/
The English pronoun "I" is translated into Spanish as yo.
Meaning: personal pronoun (pron)
Which one should you use?
While the subject can often be omitted, using yo explicitly adds emphasis or contrast to the subject, such as when you want to say "I, personally, did it."
Related words
How does it change in a sentence?
The pronoun yo is often omitted in Spanish because the conjugation of the verb already indicates that the subject is the first-person singular.
How do you pronounce it?
/ˈʝo/
Did you know?
- The Spanish word yo shares a common ancestor with the English word 'ego', both descending from the Latin 'egō'.
- When using yo for emphasis, Spanish speakers often accompany the word with a specific gesture, such as pointing a thumb toward their own chest.
- While yo is the standard subject pronoun, using it too frequently in speech can make a speaker sound overly assertive or even narcissistic to native ears.
Examples in context
- Yo sí te amo.I do love you.Tatoeba #1246286 by marcelostockle, translation #71454 by CK
- Yo no vi nada.I saw nothing.Tatoeba #497573 by Shishir, translation #256395 by CK
- Yo no lo hice.I did not do it.Tatoeba #625873 by Leono, translation #625872 by Leono
- Yo soy María.I am María.
- Yo hablo español.I speak Spanish.
- Yo trabajo en una oficina.I work in an office.
- Yo estoy cansado.I am tired.
- Yo tengo un perro.I have a dog.
- Tú me comprendes.You understand me.
- Tú quieres salir esta noche.You want to go out tonight.
- 1953 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Daniel and Elena are deciding who will cook dinner.
- DanielYo puedo cocinar hoy.I can cook today.
- Elena¡Gracias! Yo lavo los platos.Thanks! I will wash the dishes.
- DanielPerfecto, yo haré la pasta.Perfect, I will make the pasta.
- ElenaMuy bien, Daniel.Very good, Daniel.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “I” translations and entries yo, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries yo, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
