eres adoptado
/eɾes adobtado/from spelling rules
The English phrase "you're adopted" translates to Spanish as eres adoptado.
Which one should you use?
eres adoptado is an informal way to say "you're adopted" because it uses the 'tú' form, which is used with friends, family or people your own age. If you change the verb from eres to es, the meaning changes from "you are" to "he/she is" (es adoptado).
How does it change in a sentence?
The adjective must agree in gender with the person being spoken to, so use eres adoptada if the person is female. Additionally, changing the verb from eres to es changes the subject from "you" to "he" or "she".
Did you know?
- If a parent tells a child eres adoptado in a playful or teasing way, it is often accompanied by the phrase te encontramos en un cubo de basura, meaning 'we found you in a trash can'.
- While 'adoptado' is the direct translation, in some Latin American legal contexts, the term hijo de corazón ('son/daughter of the heart') is often used to describe an adopted child with more affection.
- The verb eres is actually a 'ghost' of the future tense. In Latin, eris meant 'you will be', but over centuries of evolution, it became the standard way to say 'you are' in modern Spanish.
Examples in context
- Maria, quiero hablar contigo sobre algo importante. Eres adoptada, y quiero que sepas que siempre te he querido y te seguiré queriendo incondicionalmente.Maria, I want to talk to you about something important. You're adopted, and I want you to know that I have always loved you and will continue to love you unconditionally.
Example conversation
Daniel and Sofía are talking about their family history.
- DanielSofía, tengo algo importante que decirte.Sofía, I have something important to tell you.
- Sofía¿Qué pasa, Daniel? Me asustas.What is happening, Daniel? You're scaring me.
- DanielLa verdad es que eres adoptado.The truth is that you're adopted.
- SofíaNo lo puedo creer, gracias por decírmelo.I can't believe it, thanks for telling me.
Sources
- IPA marked “from spelling rules” is derived from standard Spanish spelling, where Wiktionary gives none.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries eres, CC BY-SA 4.0.
