yo
/ˈʝo/
The Spanish word for the English pronoun "I" is yo.
yo is used as a subject pronoun. It cannot be used as an object pronoun. For those cases, you must use mí or me. To emphasize that you personally performed an action or are taking responsibility for it, you can use the phrase Yo mismo/misma.
Meaning: personal pronoun (pron)
Related words
How does it change in a sentence?
In Spanish, the subject pronoun yo is often omitted because the conjugation of the verb already indicates that the subject is "I" (for example, hablo means "I speak"). Including yo in a sentence typically serves to add emphasis or contrast, such as signaling "I, not someone else."
How do you pronounce it?
/ˈʝo/
Did you know?
- The Spanish yo shares its ancestral roots with the English word 'ego', as both trace back to the Latin 'egō'.
- While yo can be used for emphasis, overusing it can make a speaker sound extremely arrogant or conceited in many Spanish-speaking cultures.
- In many Spanish-speaking regions, people might use the word uno instead of yo to mean 'one' or 'people in general', avoiding the self-centeredness of 'I'.
Examples in context
- Yo sí te amo.I do love you.This example shows the use of yo to express affection.Tatoeba #1246286 by marcelostockle, translation #71454 by CK
- Yo no vi nada.I saw nothing.This example demonstrates how yo is used to state what was not seen.Tatoeba #497573 by Shishir, translation #256395 by CK
- Yo no lo hice.I did not do it.This example shows how yo is used to deny an action.Tatoeba #625873 by Leono, translation #625872 by Leono
- Yo voy al cineI am going to the cinema
- Yo mismo hice el pastelI myself made the cake
- Un servidor está a su disposiciónI am at your service
- Me gusta el chocolateI like chocolate
- Nosotros vamos a la fiestaWe are going to the party
- habloI speak
- Yo estoy interesado en el trabajoI am interested in the job
- Yo mismo haré las gestionesI will handle it myself
- Yo quiero ir al cineI want to go to the cinema
- Me encanta la músicaI love music
- 1953 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Lucía and Alejandro are discussing who will pay for the coffee.
- LucíaYo pago el café.I'll pay for the coffee.
- AlejandroNo, yo lo pago.No, I'll pay for it.
- LucíaEstá bien, yo invito hoy.Alright, my treat today.
- AlejandroGracias, Lucía.Thanks, Lucía.
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.
