e
Lemma Details
Translation: and
Part of Speech: conjunction
Etymology: The Spanish 'e' is a variant of the conjunction 'y' (meaning 'and') that is used before words that begin with the sound /i/ or /hi/ to avoid cacophony. It derives from Latin 'et' (and), which also gave rise to English words with the prefix 'et-' such as 'etcetera'. This phonetic alteration is similar to how English sometimes uses 'an' instead of 'a' before vowel sounds.
Commonality: 90%
Guessability: 30%
Register: neutral
Mnemonics
- Think of 'e' as the 'easy on the ears' version of 'y' when followed by /i/ sounds.
- Remember that 'e' is used before words starting with 'i' or 'hi' sounds, just like 'an' is used before vowel sounds in English.
Related Words, Phrases & Idioms
Synonyms
Cultural Context
This is a standard grammatical element in Spanish that follows specific phonetic rules. It's used in all Spanish-speaking countries and is essential for proper speech and writing.
Easily Confused With
Explanation: Both mean 'and', but 'e' is used specifically before words starting with /i/ or /hi/ sounds, while 'y' is used in all other cases.
Confused word:
Juan y María son hermanos.
Juan and María are siblings.
Notes: This is a phonetic rule to avoid the awkward sound that would result from 'y' + a word beginning with /i/ or /hi/.
Mnemonic: Use 'e' before 'i' sounds to avoid saying what sounds like 'i i'.
Explanation: 'e' is a conjunction meaning 'and', while 'é' is not a Spanish word but may appear in Portuguese as a form of the verb 'ser' (to be).
This word:
Cielo e infierno
Heaven and hell
Confused word:
N/A (not used in Spanish)
N/A
Notes: The accent mark makes a significant difference in meaning across Romance languages.
Mnemonic: 'e' connects words, while 'é' doesn't exist in Spanish.