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

tanto... como

Unknown

No translation

no solo... sino también

Unknown

No translation

Synonyms

y

Unknown

No translation

Antonyms

o

Unknown

No translation

ni

Unknown

No translation

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

y

Unknown

No translation

Commonality: 0%

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.

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'.

é

Unknown

No translation

Commonality: 0%

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).

Notes: The accent mark makes a significant difference in meaning across Romance languages.

Mnemonic: 'e' connects words, while 'é' doesn't exist in Spanish.