¡Por Supuesto Que Quieren Saber Como Decir
“Of Course” en español!
As you learn Spanish with Boulder Spanish, you’ll receive instruction on and practice with vocabulary, verb tenses, grammar, and more. But it’s through beginning to speak Spanish with others that you’ll want to have a few helpful phrases on hand. Saying such phrases in conversations brings friendliness and nuance to your speaking. You’ll communicate better, sound more natural, and feel more confident when speaking Spanish.
In this blog post and others to come, we’ll add some of these essential phrases to your growing Spanish vocabulary.
In addition to some courteous basics that you likely already know, such as sí, no, por favor, gracias, de nada, hola, and adiós, adding variations of “of course” to your go-to phrases in Spanish will give you new ways to express agreement and affirmation. You’re also likely to hear native Spanish speakers frequently use these alternative ways of saying “of course.” Once you know these synonyms, you can enrich your interactions with Spanish speakers and communicate more effectively.
Por supuesto is the most common way for most Spanish speakers around the world to say, “of course.” In formal situations, por supuesto is a polite way to express agreement. In casual conversations, por supuesto is a warm way to say sí.
Ejemplos:
El jefe (The boss): ¿Puede traerme los documentos cuando los termine? (Can you bring me the documents when you finish them?)
El secretario (The secretary): Por supuesto! Estoy casi terminado con ellos. (Of course, I’m almost finished with them.)
Un amigo: (Male friend): ¿Quieres ir conmigo a la fiesta de baile? (Do you want to go to the dance party with me?)
Una amiga: (Female friend): ¡Por supuesto! ¡Necesitarás una pareja de baile! (Of course! You will need a dance partner!)
In informal conversations por supuesto can be made more casual by saying ¡claro que sí! or simply ¡claro! These translate to mean “sure” in English.
Ejemplo:
Ana: ¿Quieres un poco de mi pizza? (Do you want some of my pizza?)
Jorge: ¡Claro! Yo tengo hambre. Gracias. (Sure! I’m hungry. Thanks.)
Desde luego is another useful synonym for “of course,” and it emphasizes more certainty.
Ejemplos:
El jefe (The boss): ¿Es posible que pueda completar este informe antes del lunes? (Is it possible for you to complete this report by Monday?)
La empleada: (The employee): Desde luego, sólo me queda una sección más por escribir. (Of course, I only have one more section to write.)
Un hijo (A son): ¿Mamá, puedes ayudarme con mi tarea? (Mom, can you help me with my homework?)
Una madre (A mother): Desde luego, quiero que te vaya bien en la clase matemáticas. (Of course, I want you to do well in math class.)
Sin duda and sin duda alguna translate directly to “without a doubt” and “without a single doubt,” and both phrases are used for “of course.” They are often used to express definite affirmation.
Ejemplo:
Agricultor 1: Mira estas nubes. ¿Piensas que lloverá pronto? (Look at these clouds! Do you think it will rain soon?)
Agricultor 2: Sin duda, lloverá esta tarde. (Of course, it will rain this afternoon.)
These phrases, claro está, como no, and por cierto are also handy phrases to state agreement and to say “of course.”
Plus, this group of adverbs that can also be used in many situations for nicely agreeing and to say “of course.” Try using efectivamente (indeed), ciertamente (certainly), naturalmente (naturally), evidentemente (evidently), and claramente(clearly).
Be aware when using these words if the context and conversation are more formal or informal. This is where practicing with Spanish speakers will help you learn the speaking patterns and idioms.
Different Spanish-speaking countries and regions will use some of these synonyms for “of course” more than others. Listen to conversations in Spanish in various settings and situations and listen for the distinctive ways people say, “of course.”
Having a few options to politely or enthusiastically agree will add depth and variety to your Spanish skills. While in class, your community, or traveling, practice with other Spanish learners and native speakers and soon you will feel confident – por supuesto que lo harás.