y
/ʝ/
In Spanish, y means y (phrase)
The word y is a conjunction used to mean y (phrase)
Which one should you use?
While y is the standard way to say y (phrase), the conjunction 'y' changes to 'e' when the following word begins with the sound /i/ (specifically words starting with 'i' or 'hi') to avoid phonetic clash.
How do you pronounce it?
/ʝ/
Did you know?
- Because y is a single letter, it is often referred to as 'la i griega' (the Greek i) in Spanish. This name persists despite the letter not actually being Greek.
- If you are reading a list of names and see 'y', it might indicate a double surname. For example, 'Juan García y Pérez' uses 'y' to connect the paternal and maternal names.
- The transition from the Latin 'et' to the Spanish 'y' shows how a word can shrink to its absolute minimum to increase efficiency in speech.
Examples in context
- Los hombres tienen un cromosoma X y un Y; las mujeres tienen dos X.Men have an X and Y chromosome. Women, two Xs.This sentence shows how to use y when referring to chromosomes.Tatoeba #1687229 by marcelostockle, translation #1686184 by darinmex
- El alfabeto del alto sorabo contiene treinta y cuatro letras: a, b, c, č, ć, d, dź, e, ě, f, g, h, ch, i, j, k, ł, l, m, n, ń, o, ó, p, r, ř, s, š, t, u, w, y, z, ž.The Upper Sorbian alphabet consists of 34 letters: a, b, c, č, ć, d, dź, e, ě, f, g, h, ch, i, j, k, ł, l, m, n, ń, o, ó, p, r, ř, s, š, t, u, w, y, z, ž.This sentence lists the letters in the Upper Sorbian alphabet, including the letter y.Tatoeba #10078882 by manufrutos, translation #9832088 by Dominika7
- Si A es el éxito en la vida, entonces A = X + Y + Z. Donde X es trabajo, Y es placer y Z es mantener la boca cerrada.If A is success in life, then A = X + Y + Z. Where X is work, Y is pleasure, and Z is keeping your mouth shut.This sentence uses y within a mathematical equation describing success.Tatoeba #6050789 by Adelpa, translation #9947580 by DJ_Saidez
Example conversation
Javier and Lucía are deciding what to eat.
- JavierQuiero pizza y pasta.I want pizza and pasta.
- Lucía¿Quieres también ensalada?Do you also want salad?
- JavierSí, ensalada y agua, por favor.Yes, salad and water, please.
- LucíaPerfecto, pediré la comida ahora.Perfect, I will order the food now.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry y, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries y, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
