yo
/ˈʝo/
In Spanish, the English phrase "me" is translated using the pronoun yo.
yo is a pronoun used by a speaker to refer to themselves. In Spanish, the subject pronoun yo is often omitted because the verb conjugation itself usually indicates that the speaker is talking about themselves. You should include yo when you want to add emphasis or create contrast.
Which one should you use?
yo is a subject pronoun used as the subject of a verb, whereas mí is used as an object of a preposition.
How does it change in a sentence?
When using the preposition con (with) to say "with me", do not use con mí. Instead, these combine into the special prepositional form conmigo. Additionally, in colloquial speech, you may encounter the contraction pa' mí, which is a shortened version of para mí.
How do you pronounce it?
/ˈʝo/
What mistakes should you avoid?
Avoid the mistake of saying con mí when you mean "with me". The only correct form is conmigo.
Did you know?
- In many Spanish-speaking cultures, emphasizing yo too frequently can make a speaker sound incredibly egotistical or even arrogant, as the language naturally prefers to hide the subject.
- The Spanish word yo shares a common ancestor with the English word 'I' through the evolution of ancient Indo-European roots, despite sounding nothing alike.
- If you are playing a game and want to say 'It is my turn', you might say Me toca, using 'me' in a way that seems to function like the English 'me' but actually acts as an indirect object.
Examples in context
- Ese no soy yo.That's not me.This example is useful for using yo to identify oneself in a sentence.Tatoeba #9667598 by Shishir, translation #9814670 by DJ_Saidez
- Yo pago la cena.Dinner's on me.This example shows how yo can be used to indicate who is performing an action.Tatoeba #4948137 by Francisco_M, translation #2245264 by CK
- Pesas más que yo.You weigh more than me.This example demonstrates a comparison using yo.Tatoeba #6584333 by arh, translation #12997331 by araneo
- esta canción es pa' míThis song is for me
- Me ayudaste mucho en el proyecto.You helped me a lot with the project.
- 710 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
María and Daniel are deciding who will go to the store.
- MaríaYo puedo ir a la tienda.I can go to the store.
- DanielNo, yo voy ahora.No, I am going now.
- MaríaEstá bien, yo me quedo aquí.That's fine, I'll stay here.
- DanielGracias, María.Thanks, María.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry 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.
