What does it mean word for word?
The word esto is the neuter form of "this", used when referring to an unspecified object or a situation rather than a specific masculine or feminine noun.
Which one should you use?
The default form esto es para ti uses the informal "tú" pronoun, making it suitable for friends, family or children. In contrast, use esto es para usted instead of esto es para ti when speaking to someone in a formal context or to show respect, such as an elder or a stranger.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In Latin America, you may hear the regional variation Esto es pa' ustedes. In Spain, Esto es para vosotros. is a regional variation used to address a group of friends or acquaintances in an informal setting.
How does it change in a sentence?
Use esto es para ustedes when giving something to a group of people in Latin America, or in formal settings in Spain. In Spain, use esto es para vosotros when giving something to a group of people you know well (friends or family).
How do you pronounce it?
/esto es paɾa ti/
Did you know?
- In many Spanish-speaking cultures, it is customary to wait for the recipient to express modesty or decline the gift once before accepting it after hearing esto es para ti.
- The preposition para evolved from pora, which was a blend of the Latin words prō and ad.
- In very informal Caribbean speech, para is often shortened to pa', making the phrase sound like esto es pa' ti.
Examples in context
- ¡Esto es para ti!This is for you!This sentence is useful for expressing the phrase with emphasis.Tatoeba #1388672 by Shishir, translation #1229916 by sundown
- Esto es para ti, Tom.This is for you, Tom.This sentence shows how to use the phrase when addressing a specific person.Tatoeba #3524001 by Shishir, translation #2647055 by CK
- ¿Traducir frases de una por una es demasiado lento para ti? ¿Quieres subir tu rango en Tatoeba, o tu categoría en tu lengua, a la velocidad de la luz? ¡Pues esto es para ti!Translating sentences one by one is too slow for you? You want to increase your rank in Tatoeba, or the rank of your language, at the speed of light? So this is for you!This sentence uses the phrase in a more complex, rhetorical context.Tatoeba #1296036 by marcelostockle, translation #498892 by huluc2007
- ¡Mira! Esto es para ti.Look! This is for you, informal
- 1 more sentence on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Lucía gives a small box to Mateo.
- LucíaTengo un detalle, esto es para ti.I have a little something, this is for you.
- Mateo¿De verdad? Muchas gracias, Lucía.Really? Thank you very much, Lucía.
- LucíaEspero que te guste mucho.I hope you like it a lot.
- MateoEres muy amable conmigo.You are very kind to me.
Sources
- IPA marked “from spelling rules” is derived from standard Spanish spelling, where Wiktionary gives none.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries es, esto, para, ti, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
