🔤 How to say 'and' in Spanish: The complete guide for beginners 🇪🇸

Marina Bonillo November 19 2025

If you’re starting to learn Spanish, you’ll quickly notice something interesting: sometimes 'and' is y, and other times it magically becomes e. 😮 Why does Spanish do this?

Don’t panic! By the end of this guide, you’ll know exactly when to use 'y' and when to use 'e', plus you’ll learn loads of super useful connectors to take your Spanish from beginner to brilliant 💥

Let’s go! 🚀

Imagen - Post - 3 best ways (4)-2

💡 What is 'and' in Spanish?

The basic translation of 'and' in Spanish is 'y'.
You’ll use it most of the time to connect words, phrases, or ideas:

🗣️ Tomo café y leo el periódico por la mañana.
(I drink coffee and read the newspaper in the morning.)

🗣️ Mi hermano y yo vivimos en Málaga.
(My brother and I live in Malaga.)

So easy, right? 😄 But… sometimes Spanish changes things a little. Let’s see why 👇

🤔 Is 'and' in Spanish 'y' or 'e'?

Both are correct! ✅ But the rule is simple:
You use 'y' in most cases, except when the next word starts with an i- or hi- sound. In that case, you use 'e' to make pronunciation easier! 🗣️

🟢 Use 'y' before most words:

Pedro y Ana están casados.
(Pedro and Ana are married.)

Estudio español y francés.
(I study Spanish and French.)

🔵 Use 'e' before words starting with i or hi:

Padre e hijo están en casa.
(Father and son are at home.)

Tomates e higos son frutas saludables.
(Tomatoes and figs are healthy fruits.)

❌ But be careful! If the word starts with hie- (like hielo), it sounds like a ye, not an i, so you keep y:

✅ Pan y hielo.

❌ Pan e hielo.

💬 Pro tip:
Think of it like a little pronunciation helper — Spanish loves smooth, easy sounds! 🎵

🧠 Spanish linking words (Connectors)

If you want to sound fluent and connect your ideas naturally in Spanish, you’ll need more than just 'y'.
Here are some of the most common Spanish connectors to help your sentences flow beautifully:

➕ Adding ideas

✨ y / e — and
🗣️ Tengo clase y trabajo después.
(I have class and then work.)

🌟 además — also / in addition
🗣️ Me encanta viajar; además, quiero aprender español.
(I love travelling; in addition, I want to learn Spanish.)

🙂 también — too / also
🗣️ Yo también estudio español.
(I also study Spanish.)

🔥 Showing contrast

⚠️ pero — but
🗣️ Quiero salir, pero estoy cansado.
(I want to go out, but I’m tired.)

🌀 sin embargo — however
🗣️ Hace frío; sin embargo, voy a correr.
(It’s cold; however, I’m going for a run.)

🔀 aunque — although / even though
🗣️ Aunque llueve, salgo a caminar.
(Although it’s raining, I go for a walk.)

⚡ Explaining / clarifying

💬 es decir — that is / in other words
🗣️ Necesitas tu DNI, es decir, un documento oficial.
(You need your ID, that is, an official document.)

👉 o sea — I mean (very Spanish!)
🗣️ Estoy cansado, o sea, necesito dormir.
(I’m tired, I mean, I need to sleep.)

❗ Giving examples

📌 por ejemplo — for example
🗣️ Me gustan los deportes, por ejemplo, el tenis.
(I like sports, for example, tennis.)

🧩 como — such as / like
🗣️ Veo series como Élite.
(I watch series like Élite.)

🎯 Cause and effect

❓ porque — because
🗣️ No salgo porque estoy estudiando.
(I’m not going out because I’m studying.)

➡️ por eso — that’s why
🗣️ Estoy cansado, por eso no voy.
(I’m tired, that’s why I’m not going.)

⚡ entonces — so / then
🗣️ No tengo dinero, entonces no compro nada.
(I have no money, so I’m not buying anything.)

🔄 Connecting similar points

🤝 así como — as well as
🗣️ Estudio vocabulario así como gramática.
(I study vocabulary as well as grammar.)

📚 Spanish connectors for essays and advanced writing

If you’re writing an essay or preparing for an exam (like DELE B1 or B2), connectors are your best friends! 👩‍🎓

Here are some that will make your writing sound professional and organised:

🟢 To start an idea → En primer lugar, Para empezar
🟡 To add → Además, Asimismo
🔵 To contrast → Sin embargo, Por otro lado
🟣 To conclude → En conclusión, Para terminar

🗣️ En primer lugar, aprender idiomas es importante. Además, abre muchas oportunidades laborales.
(Firstly, learning languages is important. Moreover, it opens many job opportunities.)

💬 Common mistakes to avoid

🚫 Padre y hijo ❌ (should be padre e hijo)
🚫 Tomates y higos ❌ (should be tomates e higos)
🚫 Pan e hielo ❌ (should be pan y hielo)

👉 The trick: listen to how it sounds. If saying 'y' feels awkward, switch to 'e'! 👂🎶

🎉 Put your knowledge to the test!

Now that you know when to use 'y' or 'e', let’s test your knowledge with a quick quiz! Answer the following questions based on what you’ve just learned. Ready?