Ways to say it
| Spanish | IPA |
|---|---|
| te extraño | /te eɡstɾaɲo/ (from spelling rules) |
| te echo de menos | /te ˌet͡ʃo de ˈmenos/ |
Both phrases are used to express the feeling of missing someone. You can also express missing someone a great deal by adding words for "a lot" to these phrases, such as te extraño un montón or te echo de menos un montón.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase te echo de menos literally translates to "I throw you of less" to convey the sensation of missing someone.
Which one should you use?
The choice between the two main forms often depends on where you are. te extraño is the standard way to say "I miss you" in most of Latin America, while te echo de menos is the standard form used in Spain.
Is it said differently in some regions?
te extraño is standard in most of Latin America. In Spain, te echo de menos is the standard and the variation te echo de menos un montón is also common there. In countries like Mexico, Colombia and Argentina, the variation te extraño un montón is frequently used.
How do you pronounce it?
/te eɡstɾaɲo/
Did you know?
- Writing hecho with an 'h' changes the meaning to 'done' or 'made', making te hecho de menos a common spelling mistake.
- The word extraño is a cognate of the English words 'strange' and 'extraneous'.
- If you are in Spain, saying te extraño might sound a bit more dramatic or literary than the standard te echo de menos.
Examples in context
- Te echo de menos.I miss you.This sentence shows a basic way to say "I miss you."Tatoeba #454574 by Shishir, translation #1308 by brauliobezerra
- Tom, te echo de menos.I miss you, Tom.This sentence shows how to address a specific person by name while saying "I miss you."Tatoeba #2011041 by Shishir, translation #1887572 by CK
- Te extraño cuando no estás acá.I miss you when you're not here.This sentence uses te extraño to express missing someone in a specific circumstance.Tatoeba #1646718 by hayastan, translation #1329779 by CK
- ¡Hola, amiga! Te extraño mucho. ¿Cuándo nos vemos?Hi, friend! I miss you a lot. When will we see each other?
- Prima, hace tiempo que no nos encontramos. Te echo de menos.Cousin, it's been a while since we met. I miss you.
- 14 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Elena and Alejandro are talking on the phone.
- ElenaHola, Alejandro. Te extraño mucho.Hello, Alejandro. I miss you a lot.
- AlejandroYo también te extraño, Elena.I miss you too, Elena.
- Elena¿Cuándo nos vamos a ver?When are we going to see each other?
- AlejandroMuy pronto, te lo prometo.Very soon, I promise you.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “i miss you” translations and entries te echo de menos, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- IPA marked “from spelling rules” is derived from standard Spanish spelling, where Wiktionary gives none.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries de, echo, extraño, menos, te, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
