Spanish Grammar Bank
HOW TO SAY WITH IN SPANISH
The preposition con in Spanish translates to “with” in English and is primarily used to express the association, accompaniment, or connection of people or things.
Prepositions like con are considered invariable words that introduce a complement and are subordinate to other parts of a sentence/phrase.
CON FOR ACCOMPANIMENT
Primarily, the use of the word con (with) serves to indicate or introduce:
➡️Destination (with some verbs of movement):
Llevé al bebé con su madre.
– I brought the baby with his mother.
➡️ Accompaniment or company:
Voy al colegio con mi hermana.
– I go to school with my sister.
➡️Collaboration or joint action (with the use of the preposition junto con or “together with”):
Hice el proyecto junto con mi amigo Juan.
– I did the project together with my friend Juan.
➡️ Actions or processes where multiple people or things intervene together:
Nos reunimos con los clientes.
– We met with the clients.
The basic pattern of use of the preposition con (with) in this context is as follows:
PATTERN
con + noun phrase/subordinate noun clause (person/object)
When indicating joint action or teamwork the preposition con (with) can be linked with the word junto (“together”), forming the sequence junto con (“together with”), this being the resulting basic pattern:
PATTERN
junto con + noun phrase/subordinate noun clause (person/object)
| Llevé al niño con sus padres. | I brought the child with his parents. |
| Por las tardes, tomo un café con mis amigas. | In the afternoon, I have a coffee with my friends. |
CON FOR MEANS & METHODS
The preposition con (with) is frequently used as well to describe, both in a literal and a figurative sense, the following:
➡️ the tools employed to achieve something, like for example, con una sierra (with a saw) or the means – tangible or intangible – used to achieve an outcome, like for example:
lavarse con jabón
(wash with soap) or
hablar con paciencia
(speak with patience).
➡️ the manner in which something is done ( Ella anda con prisa , “ She walks in a rush”) or to indicate a causal relationship ( Me desperté con el ruido de la calle , “I woke up to the noise of the street”).
Notice that in either case, the preposition con (with) can just as well describe instrumentality in abstract terms, by expressing feelings or other emotional reactions to a situation or more specific qualities within an interaction. For example:
PATTERN
con + noun phrase/subordinate noun clause (instrument/quality/emotion/state)
| Prefiero escribir con mi ordenador. | I prefer writing with my computer. |
| El profesor enseña con mucha paciencia. | The professor teaches with plenty of patience. |
OTHER USES OF CON
It is important to know that the word con (with) has other uses in Spanish that do not always translate to the English concept “with”, as occurs with the conditional or hypothetical use of con.
The conditional or hypothetical use of the word con frequently translates to “if”, “even if” or “so long as” in English and is used to introduce a hypothetical or a conditional scenario, emphasizing contrast or expectation.
For example:
Distinguishing expressions that incorporate the conditional use of con from those with the preposition con that translates to “with” can come in handy, as both are common in everyday speech and writing.
When the word con (if/even if) is used conditionally, this is the typical pattern it follows:
PATTERN
con + noun phrase/infinitive verb (introducing a condition)
| Con que lo intentes una vez, es suficiente. | If you just try once, that is enough. |
| Con una persona responsable en el equipo, no habría pasado. | With a responsible person on the team, it would not have happened. |
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FAQs
How to say with in Spanish?
The word for “with” in Spanish is con, as in Voy con mi amigo (“I’m going with my friend”).
Does con ever change form?
Con doesn’t change form itself, but when combined with pronouns mí (me) and ti (you), it becomes conmigo and contigo (“with me” and “with you”).
Any phrase with con that have special meanings?
Yes, expressions like con cuidado (“carefully”) and con razón (“rightly” or “with good reason”) are common idioms that add specific meanings to sentences.
How to say also in Spanish?
The word también is the most common way to say “also” in Spanish, as in Ella también quiere ir (“She also wants to go”).
How to say because in Spanish?
The most common word for “because” in Spanish is porque, as in No vine porque estaba ocupado (“I didn’t come because I was busy”).
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