How to Say And in Spanish
How to say 'and' in Spanish: 'y' (ee), but it changes to 'e' (eh) before words starting with an 'i' sound. Pronunciation, rules and examples.
Published · 2 min read · Free · No sign-up
Quick answer
To say 'and' in Spanish, use 'y' (pronounced 'ee'), as in 'pan y queso' (bread and cheese). The one rule to remember: 'y' changes to 'e' (pronounced 'eh') before any word that begins with an 'i' or 'hi' sound, such as 'madre e hija' (mother and daughter).
y
/ee/ — Spanish
How to Say And in Spanish
“And” is one of the first connecting words you need in any language, and in Spanish it is delightfully short: y, pronounced ee. Master one small spelling rule and you’ll use it perfectly every time.
The Word: Y
Y — pronounced ee (like the vowel in see)
Use y to join words, phrases, and whole sentences, exactly the way English uses “and”:
- pan y queso — bread and cheese
- tú y yo — you and me
- Fui al mercado y compré fruta. — I went to the market and bought fruit.
Copy the Phrase
The Spanish word for “and” is y (ee).
The One Key Rule: Y Becomes E
Spanish doesn’t like two identical “ee” sounds bumping into each other. So when the next word begins with an ‘i’ or ‘hi’ sound, y changes to e (pronounced eh):
| English | Spanish | Why |
|---|---|---|
| father and son | padre e hijo | hijo starts with an “ee” sound |
| Spain and Italy | España e Italia | Italia starts with “ee” |
| mother and daughter | madre e hija | hija starts with “ee” |
| needles and thread | agujas e hilo | hilo (h is silent) starts with “ee” |
Remember: the silent h doesn’t count — hijo and hilo sound like they start with “ee,” so they trigger the change. But a word like hierro (iron) keeps y, because hie- sounds like “yeh,” not “ee”: oro y hierro (gold and iron).
Pronunciation Tips
| Word | Pronunciation | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| y | ee | and (default) |
| e | eh | and (before “i/hi” sound) |
- The conjunction y is always a single, clean “ee.”
- Don’t confuse it with y at the start of a word — in yo (I) or ya (already), the y sounds like an English “y”/“j.” On its own, meaning “and,” it’s just “ee.”
Using Y in Lists
In a list, y goes before the last item, just like English:
- manzanas, plátanos y naranjas — apples, bananas and oranges
- rojo, blanco y azul — red, white and blue
Spanish does not use the Oxford (serial) comma before y. So it’s huevos, leche y pan, never huevos, leche, y pan.
A Common Mix-up: Y vs. E vs. O
Spanish has a parallel rule for “or”:
- o = or → becomes u before an “o/ho” sound (siete u ocho = seven or eight).
- y = and → becomes e before an “i/hi” sound (madre e hija = mother and daughter).
Both changes exist purely to keep the sounds easy to pronounce. Once you hear them a few times, the natural rhythm of Spanish will make the right choice feel automatic.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do you say 'and' in Spanish?
The Spanish word for 'and' is 'y', pronounced like the English letter 'ee'. For example, 'café y leche' (coffee and milk). It connects words, phrases and clauses exactly like 'and' in English.
How do you pronounce y in Spanish?
As the conjunction meaning 'and', 'y' is pronounced 'ee' — like the vowel sound in 'see'. (When 'y' starts a word, like 'yo', it instead sounds like an English 'y' or 'j', but the standalone word for 'and' is always 'ee'.)
When does 'and' become 'e' instead of 'y' in Spanish?
'Y' changes to 'e' (pronounced 'eh') when the next word starts with an 'i' or 'hi' sound, to avoid two 'ee' sounds clashing. Examples: 'padre e hijo' (father and son), 'España e Italia' (Spain and Italy), 'agujas e hilo' (needles and thread).
What is the literal meaning of y in Spanish?
'Y' is purely a conjunction meaning 'and' — it has no other literal meaning on its own. It is one of the most common words in Spanish, used to join two or more items, ideas or actions in a sentence.
How do you say 'and' in a list in Spanish?
Just like English, Spanish uses 'y' before the final item: 'manzanas, plátanos y naranjas' (apples, bananas and oranges). Note that Spanish does not normally use an Oxford comma before 'y'.