Spanish Grammar Bank
HOW TO SAY OR IN SPANISH
In Spanish, “or” is translated as o. It is used as a coordinating conjunction to present a choice or an alternative between two or more options.
The conjunction o can also be used to express equivalence or with an additive value to connect items in non-exhaustive lists, similar to the conjunction “and” in English.
BASIC USAGE
The conjunction o has a disjunctive value, expressing alternatives between different options.).
Aside from indicating alternatives, the conjunction o can also be used to:
- Express denominative equivalence, linking two items that refer to the same concept, for example:
- Connect elements in non-exhaustive lists (with an additive value similar to the conjunction “and” in English).
In non-exclusive contexts, the conjunction o can imply that multiple options exist, meaning, either one, both or all options are possible.
NOTE || In Spanish, the use of the combined conjunction y/o is generally considered redundant – contrary to English. The use of o in this context already suggests an inclusive choice (implying addition and alternative).
Structure
- Invariable: The conjunction o does not change regardless of the number or gender of the items it connects.
- No accent. The conjunction o must always be written without an accent, as o is a monosyllabic unstressed word. Therefore, irrespective of whether it connects words, symbols, or digits, it must never carry an accent.
El libro cuesta entre 20 o 25 euros.
The book costs around 20 or 25 euros.)El libro cuesta entre 20 ó 25 euros.
| ¿Tomas té o café por las mañanas? | Do you drink coffee or tea in the morning? |
| Las Naciones Unidas o la ONU se fundó en 1945. | The United Nations or the UN was founded in 1945. |
View More Examples:
| Muchas celebridades asistieron a la fiesta, como actores, cantantes o politicos. | A lot of celebrities attended the party, like actors, singers and/or politicians. |
| En esta tienda puedes encontrar ropa de oferta o de nueva colección. | In this store, you can find clothes on sale or from the new collection. |
| En cada pregunta de la encuesta, responde con + o – | In each question of the survey, answer with + or -. |
| El libro tiene entre 100 o 120 páginas. | The book has around 100 or 120 pages. |
SPECIAL CASE
Changing o to u
To facilitate pronunciation, the conjunction o is changed to u when it precedes a word beginning with the sound /o/ (either spelled as o– or ho-).
| ✅ | ❌ |
|---|---|
| Fuimos a la cena unas siete u ocho personas. | Fuimos a la cena unas siete o ocho personas. |
| Around seven or eight people went to dinner. |
Notice how in the incorrect example above, the repetition of sounds caused by the conjunction o following the word that starts with /o/ is disruptive to the flow of speech, while the correct example ensures a more fluid pronunciation.
To avoid uncomfortable phonetical repetitions, in Spanish, the transformation from o to u always occurs when the conjunction o is followed by a word that starts with the sound /o/ (written as /o/ or /ho/).
This basic rule applies even when the conjunction o connects digits or symbols.
| No sé si el jarrón de agua está hecho de latón u hojalata. | I don’t know if the water jar is made of brass or tin. |
| U ordenamos las cosas o no encontraremos nada. | Or we tidy up or we won’t find anything. |
View More Examples:
| Arreglarlo costará entre setenta u ochenta euros. | It will cost around seventy or eighty euros to fix. |
| Esperamos que acudan unas 750 u 800 personas al evento. | We expect around 750 or 800 people to attend the event. |
| En mi casa siempre puedes comer o cenar. | At my place, you can always have lunch and/or dinner. |
| Para calificar, tienes que hablar en francés y/o español. | To qualify, you must speak French and/or Spanish. |
Learn Spanish with FlexiClasses
Book online classes with the best teachers in the industry.
FAQs
What is the Spanish word for “or”?
The Spanish word for “or” is “o” (pronounced like the letter “o” in English).
When does “o” change to “u” in Spanish?
The conjunction “o” changes to “u” when the next word begins with “o” or “ho” to avoid confusion in pronunciation.
Example: ¿Quieres té u otra bebida? (“Do you want tea or another drink?”)
Is “o” ever used with commas or lists in Spanish?
Yes, “o” can be used between multiple options in a list, just like “or” in English.
Example: Puedes elegir rojo, azul o verde. (“You can choose red, blue, or green.”)
How not to confuse “o” and the number 0 ?
In some contexts, Spanish uses “ó” (with an accent) to avoid confusion with the number 0, though this is now considered outdated by the RAE (Real Academia Española) unless necessary for clarity.
What difference between “y” and “o” in Spanish?
“Y” means “and”, while “o” means “or”. They are both coordinating conjunctions used to link words or phrases.
Do you provide Spanish classes?
Yes, we do!
You can learn Spanish online on our teaching platform, Flexi Classes.
Study in group classes, individual classes or both, the curriculum includes all levels, and classes are available 24/7.
Start with a 7 days free trial today!