yo del pasado
/ʝo del pasado/from spelling rules
The English phrase "younger self" is translated into Spanish as yo del pasado.
The phrase refers to the person one was in the past, typically during childhood or the teenage years. You can also use mi versión más joven to mean "my younger version".
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase yo del pasado literally translates to "me of the past".
Is it said differently in some regions?
Regional variations exist for this concept: in Spain, you may hear yo de jovencito/a to express the idea of one's younger self. In some Latin American countries, yo de niño/a is used. In Mexico and some Central American countries, yo de chamaco/a serves as an alternative to yo de chico/a.
How does it change in a sentence?
To say "my younger self", you add the possessive adjective mi to the front of the phrase to get mi yo del pasado.
How do you pronounce it?
/ʝo del pasado/
Did you know?
- The word pasado comes from the Latin passus, which originally referred to a 'step' or 'pace' before evolving to mean the passage of time.
- In some Spanish-speaking cultures, talking to one's yo del pasado is a popular theme in modern psychological 'letter-writing' exercises used in therapy.
- The phrase mi versión más joven treats the self as a distinct, almost external entity, which is a common way to discuss personal growth in modern Spanish-speaking psychology.
Examples in context
- Yo de joven era muy tímido/a.I was very shy when I was young.
- En aquel tiempo, mi yo más joven soñaba con viajar por el mundo.In that time, my younger self dreamed of traveling the world.
- Yo de chica solía pasar horas jugando con mis hermanos.As a girl, I used to spend hours playing with my siblings.
- Recuerdo que cuando era niño/a, mi yo más pequeño siempre quería ser astronauta.I remember that when I was a child, my younger self always wanted to be an astronaut.
- A veces extraño a mi yo del pasado.Sometimes I miss my younger self.
- Mi yo del pasado no habría creído esto.My younger self wouldn't have believed this.
- Le daría un consejo a mi yo del pasado.I would give some advice to my younger self.
Example conversation
Lucía and Javier are looking at an old photo album.
- LucíaMira esta foto, soy tan diferente.Look at this photo, I am so different.
- JavierTu yo del pasado se veía muy feliz.Your younger self looked very happy.
- LucíaSí, era una persona muy libre.Yes, I was a very free person.
- JavierEs bueno recordar esos tiempos.It is good to remember those times.
Sources
- IPA marked “from spelling rules” is derived from standard Spanish spelling, where Wiktionary gives none.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries del, pasado, yo, CC BY-SA 4.0.
