yo
/ˈʝo/
The Spanish word for the English personal pronoun 'I' is yo.
In Spanish, it is common to omit the pronoun yo as long as the context is clear. The pronoun yo is often omitted in Spanish because the verb conjugation itself indicates the subject. Including yo instead of omitting it is often used to add emphasis or to contrast oneself with someone else.
Meaning: personal pronoun (pron)
Related words
How do you pronounce it?
/ˈʝo/
Did you know?
- Because the verb endings change for every person, using yo too frequently can make a speaker sound slightly narcissistic or overly insistent in a way that English does not.
- The word yo is a direct descendant of the Latin word egō̆, which is also the root of the English word 'ego'.
- In Spanish, yo can be used as a noun to refer to the 'ego' or the 'self' in psychological contexts, such as el yo y el ello.
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 estudio español.I study Spanish.
- Yo trabajo en una oficina.I work in an office.
- Tú hablas muy rápido.You speak very fast.
- Tú me caes muy bien.I really like you.
- Tú estudias en la universidad.You study at the university.
- Hablo español.I speak Spanish.
- Yo estoy muy feliz.I am very happy.
- 1953 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Javier and María are deciding what to eat for lunch.
- Javier¿Qué quieres comer, María?What do you want to eat, María?
- MaríaYo prefiero la pizza.I prefer pizza.
- Javier¡Perfecto! Yo también quiero pizza.Perfect! I want pizza too.
- MaríaEntonces, vamos al restaurante.Then, let's go to the restaurant.
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.
