te presento
/te pɾesento/from spelling rules
te presento is the Spanish phrase for 'I introduce you' or 'I present to you'.
This phrase is used to introduce one person to another. It is typically followed by the preposition a and the name of the person being introduced.
What does it mean word for word?
Literally, te presento means 'I present to you'. The word te is the informal singular 'you' and presento is the first-person singular form of the verb 'presentar' (to present).
Which one should you use?
Use te presento to introduce someone to a friend, a peer or someone younger than you.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In some Latin American countries, an informal way to introduce someone is to say Te lo(a) presento. In Spain, a common variation for a formal introduction is Le presento a followed by the person's name.
How does it change in a sentence?
The phrase is typically used as te presento a to mean 'I introduce you to', where it is followed by the preposition a and the name of the person being introduced.
How do you pronounce it?
/te pɾesento/
Did you know?
- In many Spanish-speaking cultures, the physical gesture accompanying te presento is more varied than in English. Depending on the level of intimacy, it may be paired with a single kiss on the right cheek or two kisses, one on each cheek.
- The word presentar comes from the Latin 'praesentare', which means 'to place before'. This is the same linguistic root that gave English the word 'present' as in a gift, which is something placed before someone.
- In some formal social circles, the order of who is introduced first via te presento is strictly governed by hierarchy. Usually, the person of lower status is 'presented' to the person of higher status as a mark of respect.
Examples in context
- Te presento a mi amigo JuanI'd like you to meet my friend Juan.
- Deja que te presente a mi prima CarmenLet me introduce you to my cousin Carmen.
- Te presento a María, mi compañera de trabajo.I'd like you to meet María, my coworker.
- Te quiero presentar a Jorge. Aún no lo conoces, ¿verdad?I want to introduce you to Jorge. You haven't met him yet, right?
- Permíteme presentarte a Juan, un excelente cocinero.Allow me to introduce you to Juan, an excellent chef.
- Os presento a mis amigos, Carlos y María.I'd like to introduce you to my friends, Carlos and María.
- Te presento a mi hermano, Juan.I introduce you to my brother, Juan.
Example conversation
Lucía introduces her friend Daniel to another acquaintance.
- LucíaHola, te presento a Daniel.Hi, I introduce you to Daniel.
- DanielHola, Daniel. Mucho gusto.Hello, Daniel. Nice to meet you.
- LucíaDaniel es un gran cocinero.Daniel is a great cook.
- Daniel¡Qué interesante! Encantado de conocerte.How interesting! Pleased to meet you.
Sources
- IPA marked “from spelling rules” is derived from standard Spanish spelling, where Wiktionary gives none.
