Spanish Grammar Bank
HOW TO SAY AND IN SPANISH
In Spanish, the conjunction ‘y’ (which translates to “and” in English) is used to connect words, phrases, and clauses.
This conjunction expresses addition, linking elements within a sentence or phrase. Let’s learn how to say and in Spanish.
USING Y AS A CONJUNCTION
In Spanish, ‘y’ is the default form equivalent to the English conjunction “and”, which is used to connect two or more items, linking different parts of speech like nouns, adjectives, adverbs, verbs, and independent clauses.
PATTERN
Noun/Verb/Adjective/Adverb/Clause 1 + y + Noun/Verb/Adjective/Adverb/Clause 2
The conjunction ‘y’ is used to connect different parts of speech, such as:
➡️ Nouns, linking two or more nouns or pronouns in a sentence or clause.
| Mi padre tiene un coche y una moto. | My father has a car and a motorcycle. |
| La silla y la mesa son nuevas. | The chair and the table are new. |
➡️ Adjectives/Adverbs, joining adjectives that modify the same noun or adverbs that describe the same action.
| Ella es simpática y encantadora. | She is very nice and charming. |
| Mi casa es grande y espaciosa. | My house is big and spacious. |
➡️ Verbs, linking multiple actions performed by the same subject.
| Cada día voy al gimnasio y corro. | Every day I go to the gym and run. |
| Mi hermano trabaja y estudia a la vez. | My brother studies and works at the same time. |
➡️ Independent clauses, linking two independent sentences.
| Cada mañana me despierto temprano y salgo a caminar. | Every morning I wake up early and go walking. |
| En Navidad nos vamos a Francia y queremos ir a esquiar. | This Christmas we are going to France and we want to go skiing. |
WHEN Y CHANGES TO E
In Spanish, the conjunction ‘y’ takes the form of an ‘e’ instead when the word following the ‘y’ begins with the /i/ sound.
This is done to facilitate pronunciation, avoiding the troublesome repetition of vowel sounds, although there are a few exceptions.
Structure:
When the word following the conjunction ‘y’ starts with the phoneme /i/ (written as ‘i’, ‘hi’ or exceptionally ‘y’) then the ‘y’ changes to ‘e’.
The change from ‘y’ to ‘e’ will always take place when the following word starts with the phoneme (sound) /i/, regardless of its spelling.
| ✅ | ⛔ |
|---|---|
| Iberia e Easyjet | Iberia y Easyjet |
| pronounced as ibéria e isiyét | pronounced as ibéria i isiyét |
Notice how the correct example above is phonetically easier to pronounce (avoiding the repetition of the same vowel sounds) than the incorrect one.
The change from ‘y’ to ‘e’ is done for phonetical reasons. Meaning, it is the pronunciation and not the spelling that dictates the change from ‘y’ to ‘e’.
| Esa cancion es única e irrepetible. | That song is unique and unrepeatable. |
| Mi madre siempre lleva una aguja e hilo en el bolso. | My mother always carries a thread and a needle in her bag. |
EXCEPTIONS & SPECIAL CASES
There are a few exceptions and special cases to consider when using the conjunction ‘y’ and ‘e’.
Structure:
The main exception to consider is that when the conjunction ‘y’ is followed by a word that starts with a ‘hi’ and the following letter is a vowel (forming a diphthong or a combination of vowels, like ie), then the conjunction ‘y’ remains the same (instead of changing to an ‘e’).
| ✅ | ⛔ |
|---|---|
| madera y hierro | madera e hierro |
| wood and iron | wood and iron |
Special cases include:
➡️ Abbreviations and acronyms: The change from ‘y’ to ‘e’ is likewise applicable to abbreviations and acronyms that start with the phoneme /i/.
➡️ The combination y/o (and/or) is borrowed from English and its use is not considered correct in Spanish. The use conjunction ‘o’ (or) in Spanish already conveys both possibilities (and/or).
The use of the combined conjunction y/o is therefore not recommended in Spanish.
| Compra bebidas y hielo para la cena. | Buy drinks and ice for the dinner. |
| Necesitas palos de madera y hierro para jugar al golf. | You need wood and iron clubs to play golf. |
| En el safari vimos leones y hienas. | In the safari we saw lions and hyenas. |
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FAQs
How do you say and in Spanish?
The word “and” in Spanish is usually y, as in Juan y María (“Juan and María”).
When does y change to e in Spanish?
Y changes to e when it appears before a word that begins with the sound i (or hi), such as padre e hijo (“father and son”).
Is there any situation where y and e don’t mean “and”?
Y and e almost always mean “and,” but they can also appear in expressions where they don’t directly translate to “and,” such as in idiomatic phrases.
What’s the difference between y and o in Spanish?
Y means “and” for joining similar ideas or items, while o means “or” to offer a choice between two or more options.
When to use por or para?
When deciding which preposition to use (por or para), pay attention to the context and meaning you wish to convey.
As part of the contextual clues to look out for, remember that:
por is most commonly used with verbs that express cause, motive or movement:
para is most commonly used with verbs that express the objective, purpose or aim of an action.
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Learn more about the use of por and para in this free lesson.
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