Ways to say it
| Spanish | IPA |
|---|---|
| te echo de menos | /te ˌet͡ʃo de ˈmenos/ |
| te extraño | /te eɡstɾaɲo/ (from spelling rules) |
These phrases are used to express that you feel the absence of someone. In Latin America, it is more common to use the verb extraño, while in Spain, the phrase te echo de menos is more prevalent.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase te echo de menos literally translates to "I throw you of less".
Which one should you use?
te extraño is the preferred way to express this sentiment in Latin America, whereas te echo de menos is the more common way to say it in Spain.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In Latin America, you can say Te extraño mucho to express "I miss you a lot". In Spain, the expression Te echo de menos un montón is used to mean the same thing.
How does it change in a sentence?
The pronoun te indicates you are addressing one person in an informal or familiar manner. To address a person formally, replace te with lo (masculine) or la (feminine). To address a group of people, replace te with los or las.
How do you pronounce it?
/te eɡstɾaɲo/
Did you know?
- The word extraño is a cognate of the English word 'strange'.
- While te extraño is common in Latin America, using it in Spain might sound overly dramatic or like something from a soap opera.
- The phrase te echo de menos uses a specific construction where the feeling of absence is described as a lack or a subtraction.
Examples in context
- Te echo de menos.I miss you.This sentence is useful for practicing the phrase te echo de menos.Tatoeba #454574 by Shishir, translation #1308 by brauliobezerra
- Tom, te echo de menos.I miss you, Tom.This sentence shows how to use the phrase te echo de menos when addressing a specific person.Tatoeba #2011041 by Shishir, translation #1887572 by CK
- Te extraño cuando no estás acá.I miss you when you're not here.This sentence demonstrates the use of te extraño in a sentence.Tatoeba #1646718 by hayastan, translation #1329779 by CK
- Te echo de menos desde que te fuiste de vacacionesI miss you since you went on vacation
- Te extraño cuando no estás cercaI miss you when you're not around
- 14 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Lucía and Mateo are talking on the phone after a long trip.
- LucíaHola, Mateo. Te extraño mucho.Hello, Mateo. I miss you a lot.
- MateoYo también te extraño, Lucía.I miss you too, Lucía.
- Lucía¿Cuándo vas a volver?When are you coming back?
- MateoLa próxima semana estaré en casa.Next week I will be home.
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.
