consigo
Lemma Details
Translation: with oneself; with himself; with herself; with themselves; with yourself; with yourselves
Part of Speech: pronoun
Etymology: Derived from Latin 'cum' (with) + 'se' (oneself) + 'cum' (with), which evolved into Old Spanish 'consego' and then modern 'consigo'. The reflexive pronoun combines with the preposition 'con' (with) to create this special form that doesn't require a separate preposition.
Commonality: 70%
Guessability: 30%
Register: neutral
Example Usage
Ella siempre lleva un libro consigo.
She always carries a book with her.
Juan habla consigo mismo cuando está nervioso.
Juan talks to himself when he's nervous.
Los niños trajeron consigo sus juguetes.
The children brought their toys with them.
Debes estar en paz consigo mismo.
You must be at peace with yourself.
Mnemonics
- Think 'con' (with) + 'sigo' (following) = 'with following oneself'
- Remember that 'consigo' contains 'sí' (yes/self) in the middle, indicating it's about oneself
Related Words, Phrases & Idioms
Synonyms
Antonyms
Cultural Context
Used frequently in reflexive constructions in Spanish. Unlike English, which uses phrases like 'with myself' or 'with himself', Spanish has this special pronoun form that combines the preposition 'con' with the reflexive.
Easily Confused With
Explanation: 'Consigo' refers to oneself (himself, herself, themselves), while 'contigo' specifically means 'with you' (singular informal).
Confused word:
Él quiere hablar contigo.
He wants to talk with you.
Notes: Both are prepositional pronouns that combine 'con' with a pronoun, but they refer to different persons.
Mnemonic: 'Consigo' has 's' for 'self', while 'contigo' has 't' for 'tú' (you).
Explanation: 'Consigo' is a pronoun meaning 'with oneself', while 'conseguir' is a verb meaning 'to get' or 'to obtain'.
Notes: Despite similar spelling, these words have completely different functions and meanings.
Mnemonic: 'Conseguir' ends in '-ir' like many Spanish verbs, while 'consigo' doesn't.