solo
Lemma Details
Translation: alone; lonely; sole; single; only
Part of Speech: adjective
Etymology: From Latin 'solus' meaning 'alone' or 'only'. This Latin root also gives us English words like 'solitude', 'solitary', and 'desolate'. The Spanish 'solo' maintains the original meaning of being without company or being the only one of its kind.
Commonality: 90%
Guessability: 80%
Register: neutral
Mnemonics
- Think of Han Solo from Star Wars, who was often portrayed as a loner.
- Solo sounds like 'so low' - when you're alone, you might feel low.
- Connect it to 'solo' in music, where one musician plays alone.
Antonyms
Cultural Context
In Spanish culture, 'solo' can have both positive and negative connotations. While independence is valued, there's also a strong emphasis on family and community, so being 'solo' (alone) for extended periods might be viewed differently than in more individualistic cultures.
Easily Confused With
Explanation: While 'solo' is an adjective meaning 'alone', 'sólo' (with an accent) is an adverb meaning 'only' or 'just'. Note that in modern Spanish, the accent on 'sólo' is often omitted, making both words look identical, but they function differently in sentences.
This word:
Estoy solo en casa.
I am alone at home.
Confused word:
Sólo quiero un café.
I only want a coffee.
Notes: With the 2010 orthographic reforms by the Royal Spanish Academy, the accent on 'sólo' is now optional when there's no ambiguity, which has increased confusion between these terms.
Mnemonic: Think of the accent mark in 'sólo' as emphasizing or limiting something - it's ONLY this way.
Explanation: 'Solo' means 'alone' while 'sol' means 'sun' or the musical note 'G'.
Confused word:
El sol brilla hoy.
The sun is shining today.
Notes: Both words are common in everyday Spanish.
Mnemonic: 'Sol' is missing the final 'o' - imagine the 'o' as a companion that 'sol' is missing, leaving it incomplete, while 'solo' has the 'o' but is still alone.