cuando yo
/kwando ʝo/from spelling rules
The English phrase 'when I' is translated into Spanish as cuando yo.
For more formal emphasis on precise timing, you can use En el momento en que yo (When I). If you wish to express a specific period during which an action occurs, the formal phrase Durante el tiempo en que yo (During the time when I) is used.
How does it change in a sentence?
In Spanish, the subject pronoun yo is often omitted if the verb conjugation already makes it clear that the subject is 'I'.
Did you know?
- In Spanish, including yo after cuando often signals a contrast. If you say cuando yo era niño instead of cuando era niño, you may be subtly contrasting your childhood with someone else's.
- While 'when i' is a simple fragment in English, using cuando yo followed by the subjunctive mood in Spanish indicates that the event is a future possibility rather than a certain fact.
- The word yo is a direct descendant of the Classical Latin egō̆, making it a distant linguistic relative of the English word 'I'.
Examples in context
- ¿Quién sollozará cuando yo muera?Who will weep when I die?Tatoeba #1210046 by marcelostockle, translation #774919 by marloncori
- Mi mamá murió cuando yo era niño.My mother died when I was a child.Tatoeba #1457283 by marcelostockle, translation #649796 by szaby78
- Mi madre murió cuando yo era pequeño.My mother died when I was a kid.Tatoeba #858772 by manufrutos, translation #245859 by CK
- Cuando yo llego a casa, me relajo.When I arrive home, I relax.
- En el momento en que yo termino de trabajar, voy al gimnasio.When I finish work, I go to the gym.
- Siempre que yo tengo tiempo, leo libros.Whenever I have time, I read books.
- Durante el tiempo en que yo estudio, me concentro al máximo.During the time when I study, I focus to the maximum.
- Cuando yo salgo con amigos, nos divertimos mucho.When I go out with friends, we have a lot of fun.
- Cuando termino de trabajar, descanso un rato.When I finish work, I rest for a while.
- Siempre que puedo, voy al cine.Whenever I can, I go to the movies.
- En cuanto llego a casa, me quito los zapatos.As soon as I arrive home, I take off my shoes.
- Cuando yo voy de vacaciones, me relajo completamente.When I go on vacation, I completely relax.
- En el momento en que yo escucho música, me siento feliz.When I listen to music, I feel happy.
- Siempre que yo como chocolate, me siento culpable.Whenever I eat chocolate, I feel guilty.
- Durante el tiempo en que yo practico deporte, me siento saludable.During the time when I exercise, I feel healthy.
- Cuando salgo de compras, siempre encuentro algo que me gusta.When I go shopping, I always find something I like.
- Cuando termino de trabajar, me gusta ver una película.When I finish work, I like to watch a movie.
- Siempre que hay un concierto, voy a ver a mi banda favorita.Whenever there's a concert, I go see my favorite band.
- 55 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Sofía and Mateo are talking about their future plans.
- SofíaCuando yo termine la escuela, viajaré mucho.When I finish school, I will travel a lot.
- Mateo¡Qué bien! Yo quiero ir a Japón.That's great! I want to go to Japan.
- SofíaPodemos ir juntos cuando yo tenga dinero.We can go together when I have money.
- MateoMe parece un plan perfecto, Sofía.That sounds like a perfect plan, Sofía.
Sources
- IPA marked “from spelling rules” is derived from standard Spanish spelling, where Wiktionary gives none.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries cuando, yo, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
