en ello
/en ˈeʝo/
The English phrase "on it" is translated into Spanish as en ello.
The phrase en ello is used to refer to an abstract idea, a situation or a task rather than a physical object. If you want to express the specific idiom "I'm on it" to mean you are currently working on a task, the full phrase is estoy en ello.
Which one should you use?
While en ello is a standard way to refer to an abstract task, you might also use en eso (on that) when referring to a specific topic or matter that was just mentioned. To express the idea of being currently occupied with something, use the full phrase estoy en ello.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In certain Latin American countries, particularly in Mexico, En eso estoy is used to mean "on it".
How do you pronounce it?
/en ˈeʝo/
Did you know?
- The word ello is a neuter pronoun, a grammatical gender that existed in Latin but has almost entirely vanished from modern Spanish nouns.
- While a learner might expect to use a physical preposition like 'sobre' to mean 'on', using it for a task would suggest you are physically standing or sitting on top of your work.
- Using en ello instead of en eso often makes a sentence feel more formal or literary, as ello is less common in casual street speech.
Examples in context
- Invertí mucho tiempo en ello.I spent a lot of time on it.This sentence shows how to use en ello when referring to time spent on a task.Tatoeba #7551088 by arh, translation #10298528 by LimeGreenTeknii
- Pongo en peligro mi trabajo en ello.I'll stake my job on it.This sentence uses en ello to describe staking something on a matter.Tatoeba #5864215 by albrusgher, translation #3728375 by CM
- No estoy demasiado interesado en ello.I'm not too keen on it.This sentence shows how to express interest en ello regarding a topic.Tatoeba #5140094 by albrusgher, translation #2980018 by Hybrid
- 3 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
María asks Alejandro to fix a technical issue with the computer.
- MaríaAlejandro, ¿puedes arreglar el ordenador?Alejandro, can you fix the computer?
- AlejandroSí, estoy en ello ahora mismo.Yes, I'm on it right now.
- MaríaGracias, lo necesito para la reunión.Thanks, I need it for the meeting.
- AlejandroNo te preocupes, ya estoy en ello.Don't worry, I'm already on it.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry en ello, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
