ya lo sabes
/ʝa lo sabes/from spelling rules
In Spanish, "you know it" is ya lo sabes.
This phrase is used to tell someone that they are already aware of a particular piece of information. Depending on your intonation, it can function as either a statement or a question.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase is composed of ya (already), lo (it) and sabes (you know).
Which one should you use?
The inclusion of the word ya adds the nuance of "already," implying that the knowledge being discussed is not new to the person.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In some Latin American countries, vos lo sabés may be used instead of tú lo sabes.
How does it change in a sentence?
To address a group of people, you can use the plural form ya lo saben. When using the formal "you," you change the verb ending from sabes to sabe resulting in the form ya lo sabe.
How do you pronounce it?
/ʝa lo sabes/
Did you know?
- The word ya is a linguistic relative of the French word déjà, as both evolved from the Latin word 'iam'.
- In some contexts, ya functions as a 'discourse marker' to signal that the speaker is impatient or wants the other person to move on.
- The pronoun lo can function as a 'neuter' marker, meaning it can refer to an abstract concept or a whole situation rather than a specific masculine noun.
Examples in context
- ¿Por qué preguntas si ya lo sabes todo?Why are you asking if you know it all?This sentence shows how to use ya lo sabes in a question.Tatoeba #639741 by qdii, translation #639742 by qdii
- Querido señor García, ¿usted lo sabe?Dear Mr. García, do you know it?
- Doctora Pérez, ¿es consciente de ello?Doctor Pérez, are you aware of it?
- Oye Pedro, tú lo sabes, ¿verdad?Hey Pedro, you know it, right?
- Chicos, vamos a salir esta noche, ¿ya sabéis?Guys, we're going out tonight, you already know, right?
- No me preguntes, ya lo sabes.Don't ask me, you know it already.
Example conversation
Mateo and Lucia are talking about a surprise party.
- MateoMañana es la fiesta, ¿verdad?Tomorrow is the party, right?
- LucíaSí, Mateo, ya lo sabes.Yes, Mateo, you already know it.
- MateoSolo quería confirmar la hora.I just wanted to confirm the time.
- LucíaEs a las ocho, como siempre.It is at eight, as always.
Sources
- IPA marked “from spelling rules” is derived from standard Spanish spelling, where Wiktionary gives none.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries lo, ya, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
