te extraño
/te eɡstɾaɲo/from spelling rules
The English phrase "missing you" is translated into Spanish as te extraño.
The phrase te extraño is used to express missing someone. Other ways to convey this feeling include saying Te echo de menos or Siento tu ausencia, which translates to "I feel your absence". You can emphasize longing for someone's presence by saying Echo de menos tu compañía. To express a very strong sense of missing someone informally, you can say Te extraño un montón.
Which one should you use?
While te extraño is common in Latin America, te echo de menos is the more common way to express missing someone in Spain.
How does it change in a sentence?
The pronoun changes depending on who you are missing. If you are missing a male person or a masculine object instead of "you", use lo extraño. If you are missing a female person or a feminine object instead of "you", use la extraño. To express that you were missing someone in a continuous state in the past, use the imperfect tense te extrañaba.
How do you pronounce it?
/te eɡstɾaɲo/
Did you know?
- The phrase te echo de menos literally translates to 'I throw you of less', a construction that makes no literal sense in English.
- The verb extraño in this context shares an unexpected ancestor with the English word 'strange'.
- To express that you miss someone 'so much it hurts', Spanish speakers often use the phrase me haces falta, which literally means 'you are a lack to me'.
Examples in context
- Querida abuela, te extraño mucho. Espero poder visitarte pronto.Dear grandmother, I miss you so much. I hope to visit you soon.
- Estoy deseando que vuelvas. Echo de menos tu compañía.I'm looking forward to your return. I miss your company.
- Amiga, me haces falta. Las tardes no son lo mismo sin ti.Friend, I miss you. The afternoons are not the same without you.
- Mi amor, siento tu ausencia cada día que pasa. Vuelve pronto a mis brazos.My love, I feel your absence every passing day. Come back to my arms soon.
- Te extraño mucho, mi amor.I miss you a lot, my love.
- Cada día te extraño más.Every day I miss you more.
- No te voy a mentir, te extraño.I won't lie to you, I miss you.
Example conversation
Daniel and Lucía are talking on a video call.
- DanielHola, Lucía. Te extraño mucho.Hello, Lucía. I miss you a lot.
- LucíaYo también te extraño, Daniel.I miss you too, Daniel.
- Daniel¿Cuándo vendrás a visitarme?When will you come to visit me?
- LucíaMuy pronto, te lo prometo.Very soon, I promise you.
Sources
- IPA marked “from spelling rules” is derived from standard Spanish spelling, where Wiktionary gives none.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries extraño, te, CC BY-SA 4.0.
