De: of, from, about
Pronunciation: deh (stress the capital letters)
De means “of, from, about” in English.
Quick answer
- Meaning: of, from, about
- How to say it: deh
- Level: Beginner (A1)
What “de” means and how to use it
De is one of the most common words in Spanish. It shows possession (el libro de Ana), origin (soy de Perú), material (una mesa de madera), and subject (una clase de español).
A closer look at “de”
What de does
De shows origin (soy de Chile), possession (el coche de mi padre), material (una mesa de madera), content (un vaso de agua), topic (una clase de historia), and time of day (a las ocho de la mañana).
De + el = del
When de is followed by el (the, masculine), they merge: del. La casa del vecino (the neighbor’s house). The same happens with a + el = al.
Examples with audio
- Soy de Argentina.I am from Argentina.
- Es el libro de mi hermana.It is my sister’s book.
- Tengo una taza de café.I have a cup of coffee.
Usage tip
Spanish does not use an apostrophe-s for possession: say “el coche de Juan,” not “Juan’s car.” With “el,” de becomes “del”: la casa del vecino.
Frequently asked questions
How do you say “of, from, about” in Spanish?
“of, from, about” in Spanish is “de.” It is pronounced deh, with the stress on the syllable in capital letters.
How do you pronounce “de”?
Say deh. The syllable in capital letters gets the stress. Press the speaker button at the top of this page to hear it.
Practice “de” for free
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Related words
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