Extraño hablar contigo
/eɡstɾaɲo ablaɾ kontiɡo/from spelling rules
To say "I miss talking to you" in Spanish, use Extraño hablar contigo.
This phrase is used to tell someone that you feel sad because you no longer communicate with them. While Te extraño is a general way to say "I miss you", Extraño hablar contigo specifically emphasizes the lack of communication.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase is composed of extraño (I miss), hablar (to talk) and contigo (with you).
Which one should you use?
Extraño hablar contigo focuses on the lack of communication. In contrast, Te extraño is a more general way to say "I miss you".
Is it said differently in some regions?
Echo de menos hablar contigo is an alternative way to express this sentiment that is commonly used in Spain.
How does it change in a sentence?
If you are speaking to someone in a formal context or showing respect, replace contigo with con usted to say Extraño hablar con usted. To express that you missed talking to someone in the past, change the verb to the imperfect tense: Extrañaba hablar contigo.
How do you pronounce it?
/eɡstɾaɲo ablaɾ kontiɡo/
Did you know?
- The expression echo de menos used in Spain literally translates to 'I throw of less', a vivid way of describing a void left by someone.
- The word extraño is a linguistic relative of the English word 'strange'. It comes from the Latin 'extraneus', meaning 'outside' or 'foreign', which is why it can also mean 'strange' or 'odd' in Spanish.
- If you want to sound more poetic or old-fashioned, you could use the root 'fablar'. This was the original form of hablar in Old Spanish before the 'f' sound was dropped.
Examples in context
- He pasado semanas sin verte y extraño hablar contigo.I have spent weeks without seeing you and I miss talking to you.
- Extraño hablar contigo por las noches.I miss talking to you at night.
Example conversation
Daniel calls Elena after a long time without communication.
- DanielHola Elena, extraño hablar contigo.Hello Elena, I miss talking to you.
- Elena¡Yo también te extraño, Daniel!I miss you too, Daniel!
- Daniel¿Tienes tiempo para charlar un poco?Do you have time to chat a bit?
- ElenaSí, me encantaría hablar contigo.Yes, I would love to talk to you.
Sources
- IPA marked “from spelling rules” is derived from standard Spanish spelling, where Wiktionary gives none.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries contigo, extraño, hablar, CC BY-SA 4.0.
