¿Seguro?
The English phrase "you sure" translates to Spanish as ¿Seguro?
In this context, the word functions as an adjective describing the person's state of certainty, rather than a verb.
Which one should you use?
Use ¿Seguro? for a male, ¿Segura? for a female, ¿Seguros? for a group of males or a mixed group and ¿Seguras? for a group consisting only of females.
How does it change in a sentence?
When addressing a male, use ¿Seguro? When addressing a female, use ¿Segura? For a group of males or a mixed group, use ¿Seguros?, while for a group of females only, use ¿Seguras? If you are responding to the question, a male speaker says Estoy seguro and a female speaker says Estoy segura.
Did you know?
- The word seguro also refers to a 'lock' or a 'safety catch' on a tool or weapon, linking the idea of certainty to the idea of being fixed in place.
- To express extreme certainty, Spanish speakers often double the word by saying seguro, seguro, which functions like the English 'positive' or '100%'.
- While ¿Seguro? asks about certainty, the related phrase No estoy seguro is often used as a polite way to decline an invitation without saying a flat 'no'.
Examples in context
- ¿Está seguro de que quiere tomar esa decisión?Are you sure you want to make that decision?
- ¿Seguro que podemos contar contigo para la fiesta?Are you sure we can count on you for the party?
Example conversation
Javier and Lucía are discussing whether to go to a concert tonight.
- Javier¿Quieres ir al concierto hoy?Do you want to go to the concert today?
- LucíaSí, me encantaría.Yes, I would love to.
- Javier¿Seguro? Es muy tarde.Are you sure? It is very late.
- LucíaSí, estoy segura.Yes, I am sure.
