mexican word essay

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What does "ese" mean?

I keep hearing this word "ese" (also spelled "esé" or "ése") on TV used when parodying Spanish speakers. It's often used in a very funny way to indicate friend or homie but I can't tell what it means. Googling produced mixed results where some said it was a fake word used only in Hollywood, others claimed it just meant friend, and some claimed its like using the n-word.

Can someone clarify the meaning of ese (as used in this context) and explain if it is derogatory or not? If obviously don't want to use it if it is!

Additional info from comment :

I've seen it in comedy sketches by Key and Peele. Key often talks in a mock Spanish speaking accent. I'm not sure what nationality or ethnicity it is supposed to represent, but the jokes are of a sort of parody-like nature in that he is skirting the line between funny and racist as comedians sometimes do. Example: East Side Locos Tagger

• coloquialismos
• cultura-de-masas
• lenguaje-peyorativo
• lenguage-despectivo

• Is there any example of such an use you can point to? I agree with the answers given below but I can't think of how ese can be used in parody. –  JMVanPelt Commented May 2, 2015 at 21:02
• Key and Peele. Key often talks in a mock Spanish speaking accent. I'm not sure what nationality or ethnicity it is supposed to represent, but the jokes are of a sort of parody like nature in that he is skirting the line between funny and racist as comedians sometimes do. Maybe parody isn't the right word. If u have a better one, let me know and I'll change it. Here's the example: youtu.be/fwQXwlg5JU0 –  Stan Shunpike Commented May 2, 2015 at 21:42

9 Answers 9

Looking at the video you mentioned, and doing some googling, it turns out that ese (which has the gramatically correct meanings mentioned in the other answers) is a Spanglish slang to refer to someone, generally the person you are talking to. There are no academic sources for that, but here's a very plausible explanation :

In some places, "ese" (pronounced es-say) is just a slang way of refering to a guy. No different than dude , bro or man . [...] In short, ese can be a neutral term for any average guy or it can be a statement of one's gang affiliation.

Ese is a demonstrative adjective ( quiero ese libro , I want that book) or a demonstrative pronoun ( quiero ese , I want that one). As a pronoun, it's sometimes written with an accent on the stressed syllable: ése. ( RAE, see the 1st meaning of ese, esa, eso )

Ese can be used to refer to people, and it sometimes has a pejorative connotation ( RAE, see the 2nd meaning of ese, esa, eso ):

No conozco al tipo ese. (I don't know that guy.) Ese es un imbécil. (That [guy] is a moron.)

Actually, the word " ese " originated in Mexico City as a urban slang used among kids in the neighborhoods. Kids would use that as a term for "dude" or "hey, man", so it has not negative or offensive meaning. Gangs in East Los Angeles adapted the term since they are of Mexican descent and it is a very common word used among kids and teenagers who lived in urban areas in Mexico City.

• 1 According to Urban Dictionary, it is clearly a word used (in English) by people of Mexican descent, specially sureños (from Southern Mexico): urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=esé –  Gorpik Commented Jun 16, 2016 at 9:24

I am sort of weirded out by this thread!!! I am from California, but the strange nitpick on the use of ese in Mexican dialects sounds almost like it’s being answered by a bunch of folks who either did not grow up or have been exposed to common “ California/Baja ” Spanish usage, Idioms or slang, but are still of Mexican descent, or it is being answered by more people who never spoke Spanish in their lives, perhaps trying to find a translations to a meme or similar joke. You aren’t going to find a proper translation online for this use of the word..

It’s actually easier than all this. To answer the question alone, for this circumstance only, it can be replaced in English with any of these words:

Homie, Holmes, Bro, Dude, etc.

if an accent is heavy, it is because the person saying it has a heavy accent. A MEXICAN ACCENT, and anyone repeating it that doesen't belong to that sort of Barrio culture, is portraying what they hear from Mexicans saying it. Or, making fun of Mexicans . Not cool, homie. (Homie switched out for ese ).

The use of this word, and whether it is maliciously intended or in good faith, depends on if it is being said one of those ways or not, exactly like how it is in English . if you were to use one of the equivalent words i mentioned above...

“What’s your problem, Bro?” sounds menacing, hostile in english “Hey! Bro! How’s it going?” sounds friendly in English. “Dude! You shoulda seen it!” sounds neutral in english too.

However, You still would not say that neutral use of ‘ Dude ’ while talking to your great aunt Beatrice, right?

And just like in English, these Bro , Dude etc names are slang , and you would never call grandpa “ Bro ” and demand a high five. It’s rude.

So, “que onda, ese?” (or the equivalent english “ What’s up, yo? ” ) Are phrases no one would ever use when speaking to grandma, relatives or respected community members, however this usage is OK among peers, it’s just common slang which anyone might find offensive , it just depends on who thinks that way.

I believe its like using the evil “ N” word being white, no matter how good of a friend you are to an African American person, you don’t get to use it. ever.

This rule can be applied to anyone who isn’t Mexican trying to use "ese" as slang. *Not cool, Brah .* At best you'd make a fool of yourself, at worst, depending on where you are, you could get in trouble you didn't need to get in to in the first place. Always use common sense.

However you DO get a free pass using "ese" as slang if you are trying to sing along to any Cypress Hill lyrics and you HAVE to sing to " Insane in the Membrane "-

nobody cares if you can’t control yourself cuz nobody can ,

also if you are paraphrasing your favorite lines from any movie portraying Barrio culture

In general, as with all slang, if you have to ask, you should probably not be using it, but if you want to know just to understand what’s going on if you hear it, there’s no reason to not be privy to the social usage of a slang word in a language that you SHOULD know if you are living in certain areas of the United States.

Summed up, any way you can think of to use “Dude” in English, aside from its proper, webster’s Dictionary use of the term in regard to horse ranches etc. is what “ese” means in the Mexican dialects of Spanish in this context only. Ignore all the other urban dictionary stuff and other proper uses.

• 1 This is a great answer, although perhaps a bit on the passionate side, i took the liberty of doing some edits to clarify and take some edge off that may come across as hostile. But the answer does make a very important point about the usage of slang in a multicultural context , Having lived in the LAX area, and lived this kind of experiences, I couldn't agree more on using common sense, specially in today's politically charged social climate, where misunderstandings may spark unneeded tensions between communities. Learning words in other languages in good faith always builds bridges, –  hlecuanda Commented Jul 9, 2018 at 12:55

Literally, "ese" is a demonstrative pronoun which can mean it, that thing over there, that person over there . However, the Latinamerican dictionary Así Hablamos gives this use of the demonstrative pronoun "ese" for Ecuador:

Sustitución despectiva de él ¡Míralo a ese! ==> Míralo a él | Pejorative substitution for "him"

This definition fits perfectly with what I learned in the 1980's living in a provincial university town in Mexico, far from Mexico City and even farther from the northern border areas where the drug business and gang activity were starting to build up. I'm quite certain the meaning and usage I was taught had nothing to do with gangs or anything related to gangs.

Now, with the help of Urban Dictionary , here's what I believe is going on in the Key & Peele sketch. Key is playing a California latino gang leader. His use of "Ese" is analogous to how you might hear young African American men greet each other with "Nigga." A term originally (and in some circles still ) used by racist whites to refer pejoratively to African Americans has been appropriated, with a slight change in pronunciation and spelling, to mean

fellow tribesman and badass

where I'm using "tribe" to mean racial/ethnic peer group , and I'm using "badass" to mean a formidable and intimidating person .

In the case of ese , it's not a term originally used by people outside the group, but the backdrop of racism is still there, upping the ante, and we see a similar appropriation of a pejorative term as part of a reclaiming of cultural identity and building up of personal self-esteem and group-level ethnic pride.

Note, at least one of the Urban Dictionary entries uses the spelling "esé," but there is a helpful audio recording at https://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=esé which shows that the accent is not used to indicate a stress on the last syllable, as in formal Spanish, but rather, to indicate that the whole word is stressed when used as a greeting.

Key uses the term to build the character he's playing, to make the comedy sketch work.

Key and Peele's comedic work with racial stereotypes has been described this way:

Key & Peele’s best sketches are subversive, but still sensitive to the fact that if you joke about a marginalized group, you don’t do so in a vacuum. They’re aware that comedy can either “punch up” against the established hierarchy or “punch down” against people who are already vulnerable.

In other words, it's complicated.

In some contexts you also use "eseeeeeee", with a phonetically longer ending "e", just to express something similar to "that's it dude" or "you rock!". This is specially used in parodying comedian shows.

Hope it helps.

• @Carlos Alejo de hecho, cosas como hope it helps sí suele recomendarse que se elimine. Interesante debate en What should I keep out of my posts and titles? - no es documentación oficial, pero fue escrita por un Community Manager de Stack Exchange . Enlaza con lo que comenté el otro día de Escribamos títulos de preguntas más concretos y textos con menos ruido . –  fedorqui Commented Jun 16, 2016 at 7:44
• @fedorqui, entiendo la postura y la respetaré si es mayoritaria, pero no la comparto. Yo entiendo que ese tipo de mensajes no se pongan en páginas como la Wikipedia, que es un sitio enciclopédico, pero los sitios de Stack Exchange en el fondo no dejan de ser foros. Si a un usuario le sale del alma decir que espera que su mensaje sea de utilidad, no veo por qué no respetarlo, yo me sentiría un poco mal si escribo eso con toda mi buena intención y me lo eliminan. Otra cosa es eliminar frases como "perdón por la respuesta tardía" y cosas así, que eso sí lo entiendo. –  Charlie Commented Jun 16, 2016 at 7:53
• @fedorqui yo propondría dejar el texto de "hope it helps" en la respuesta para no hacer sentir mal al usuario, pero avisarle de que su respuesta siempre ayuda y que no es necesario que lo escriba en el futuro. –  Charlie Commented Jun 16, 2016 at 7:54
• @CarlosAlejo dejemos este "hope it helps", vale. Este sería un buen debate para Spanish Language Meta . En general, coincido en que no hay que ser excesivamente puristas: en sitios como Stack Overflow (donde empecé yo) sí lo son porque hay una gran cantidad de actividad, por lo que es importante dejar el mínimo imprescindible para minimizar ruido. Muchas respuestas que vemos aquí que son apenas una línea se tienden a convertir en comentarios, por ejemplo. Volviendo a este caso, los elementos tangenciales a las respuestas las puede añadir el propio autor pero en comentarios, como estamos haciendo aquí ahora. –  fedorqui Commented Jun 16, 2016 at 8:19

Ese has multiple proper uses, such as Quiero ese coche, "I want that car!" Quiere ese coche, "Do you want that car?" It is also used predominantly in Mexican or Mexican American/Chicano slang as part of a greeting "Qvo (what's up) ese?" or depending on the intonation "Qvo ese!!!" (said with grit or malice) can be a challenge/confrontation of someone. I have also seen and heard it used with derogatory overtones (re: movie "Next Friday" and "Training Day"). That "Ese" or Eses" over there as the term for Mexican American/Chicano people.

• This is an interesting contribution, Cesar. the part that I didn't understand is "Qvo." Is it sort of an abbreviation for "Quiubo" (derived from "Qué hubo"? –  aparente001 Commented Jun 2, 2018 at 14:22
• @aparente001 indeed it is: q'vo –  jacobo Commented Jul 7, 2018 at 17:47

It's Mexican Spanish slang to refer to a person, analogous to tío, hombre etc (or dude, bro, man in English). It's not inherently derogatory, but could be used disparagingly in a certain context.

It's very distinctive of Mexican Spanish, so is often used as an easy marker in television etc to imply someone is Mexican, or generally 'hispanic' (since Mexican Spanish varieties are the biggest influence on US perception of the language as a whole).

e.g. Jaime Reyes/Blue Beetle in Young Justice uses it frequently (a character of Mexican descent, growing up in El Paso, Texas).

ese, sa. ■ M. y F. supran. Persona indeterminada; "Estaba un ese esperando en la puerta del edificio". Academia mexicana de la lengua: Diccionario de mexicanismos

ese, -a. I. 1. m. y f. EU. Hombre o mujer. pop. RAE: Diccionario de americanismos - ese

ése ... 3. ( Mexico, vocative ) dude, guy, pal, man wiktionary.org - ése (Spanish)

If you say: "Que onda, ese" it's like "what's up, dude" . You wouldn't use this expression to address any person of respect such as your boss, your dad, your dad-in-law, etc. In fact, the use of this expression will give the worst impression unless it's said to a close friend. This expression is usually frowned upon and it's considered rude when it's said out of the slums.

Not the answer you're looking for? Browse other questions tagged modismos coloquialismos cultura-de-masas lenguaje-peyorativo lenguage-despectivo or ask your own question .

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Spanish Essay Phrases: 40 Useful Phrases for an Impressive Writeup

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May 30, 2019

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Do you need to write a lot of essays in Spanish? If you do, don’t worry. It's about to get a little bit easier for you because here in this article, we’ve listed many useful Spanish essay phrases that you can readily use in your essays.

Feel free to pepper your essays with the words and expressions from this list. It would certainly elevate your essays and impress your teachers. You're welcome!

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Spanish Essay Phrases

Additional Resources

You can also check out the following resources:

84 Spanish Expressions for Agreeing and Disagreeing

Common Spanish Verbs

Expresiones útiles para escribir en español

Looking for more Spanish phrases? Check out this e-book with audio!

Try to use the essay phrases in Spanish that you learned in this lesson and write a few example sentences in the comments section!

About the author 

Janey is a fan of different languages and studied Spanish, German, Mandarin, and Japanese in college. She has now added French into the mix, though English will always be her first love. She loves reading anything (including product labels).

VERY VERY useful !! Gracias

Amazing! This will definitely help me in tomorrow’s spanish test 🙂

Sounds good

Thanks for the assistance, in learning Spanish.

Amazing article! Very helpful! Also, this website is great for Spanish Beginners.

It’s easy when you put it that way

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Spanish Words to Use in an Essay

Are you writing an essay in Spanish and aren't sure of the best way to start the next paragraph? Or maybe you're trying to think of some connectors to make your essay flow better. Look no further! In this article, we've prepared a list of words that will help you write that Spanish essay without even breaking a sweat.

Looking to learn more phrases in Spanish? Check these articles out!

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52 Spanish Essay Phrases for Your AP Exam

In order to do well on the AP Spanish exam’s   free-response  section, you must be able to write a persuasive essay based on three Spanish-language sources.

Here we’ve put together a list of 52 vocabulary words and essays phrases that will come in handy for making and supporting arguments in your AP Spanish essays.

Handy Essay Phrases for Writing a Strong Spanish AP Composition

Starting your essay, agreeing and disagreeing, stating an opinion, supporting an opinion, contrasting (or comparing), transitional phrases, changing topics, concluding your essay, how to prepare for the ap spanish essay, what are the details of the ap spanish essay, and one more thing….

Download: This blog post is available as a convenient and portable PDF that you can take anywhere. Click here to get a copy. (Download)

Para empezar – To begin with

Hoy en día – Nowadays…

Hoy en día, las personas están en Internet hasta ocho horas por día. (Nowadays, people are on the Internet up to eight hours per day.)

A manera de introducción – We can start by saying…

Como punto de partida – As a starting point

Al principio – At the beginning… 

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En primer lugar  – To start… 

Empecemos por considerar – Let’s begin by considering…

Estoy de acuerdo/No estoy de acuerdo — I agree/I disagree

Estoy de acuerdo con lo que dice el autor. (I agree with what the author says.)

No estoy de acuerdo con la idea principal de la fuente número dos . (I disagree with the main idea of source number two.)

En mi opinión — In my opinion

En mi opinión, los jóvenes deberían comer más sano. (In my opinion, young people should eat healthier.)

La verdad es   — The truth is

La verdad es que todavía hay mucha desigualdad en los Estados Unidos . (The truth is there is still a lot of inequality in the United States.)

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Es verdad  — It’s true

Es verdad que las redes sociales pueden ser peligrosas . (It’s true that social media can be dangerous.)

Es falso   —   It’s false

Hay gente que dice que las redes sociales son peligrosas, pero esto es falso . (There are people who say that social media is dangerous, but this is false.)

Me parece/No me parece   —   It seems to me/It doesn’t seem to me

Me parece bien que los niños asistan a colegios bilingües . (I think it’s a good idea that children attend bilingual schools.)

No me parece bien que los niños asistan a colegios bilingües . (I don’t think it’s a good idea that children attend bilingual schools.)

Remember that since me parece implies an opinion or emotion, you must conjugate the verb in the subjunctive tense.

(Yo) pienso que   —   I think that

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Yo pienso que no hay nada más importante que la familia . (I think that there is nothing more important than family.)

(Yo) creo que  — I believe that

Yo creo que todos los adolescentes deberían aprender a tocar un instrumento . (I believe that all adolescents should learn to play an instrument.)

The following phrases all have the same structure: Es  + adjective +  que .

This structure is similar to the English “It’s [adjective] that…” and is great for expressing and supporting opinions in a strong and confident manner. Here are some phrases that are especially useful when making and defending claims in a persuasive essay:

Es evidente que   —   It’s evident that

Es claro que   —   It’s clear that

Es cierto que  —   It’s certain that

Es obvio que   — It’s obvious that

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Es importante que  — It’s important that

Es necesario que   — It’s necessary that

Es probable que   —   It’s probable that

Es dudoso que  — It’s doubtful that

For some of these phrases, the verb following the word que must be conjugated in the indicative, while others require the subjunctive . A good rule of thumb is that when implying that something is certain, use the indicative. When expressing doubt or expressing some other emotion, use the subjunctive.

On this list, evidente, claro, cierto  and obvio use indicative verbs, and importante, necesario, probable  and dudoso use subjunctive verbs.

Es cierto que nuestro clima está cambiando . (It is certain that our climate is changing.)

Es importante que la gente sepa hablar más de un idioma . (It’s important that people know how to speak more than one language.)

These words will help you refer to your three sources, which contain information that will help you support your argument. This section also contains transition words to connect one part of your argument to the next.

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Según   — According to  

Según el autor… (according to the author…)

La fuente  —   The source

Según la fuente numero 1… (According to source number one…)

El tema   —   The theme/topic

Esto es un tema muy importante. (This is a very important topic.)

Mostrar   —   To show

La fuente muestra la importancia de la diversidad. (The source shows the importance of diversity.)

Remember, mostrar is an o-ue stem-changing verb—pay attention to conjugation!

Demostrar   —   To demonstrate

La tabla demuestra que muchos jóvenes en España juegan al fútbol. (The table demonstrates that many youths in Spain play football.)

Demostrar is also an o-ue stem changing verb. Luckily for you, it follows the exact same conjugation rules as mostrar !

Indicar   —   To indicate

La tabla indica que hay muchas familias pobres en ese barrio. (The table indicates that there are many poor families in that neighborhood.)

Apoyar   —   To support

Estos datos apoyan la idea de que el clima está cambiando. (This data supports the idea that the climate is changing)

Sin duda   — Without a doubt

Sin duda, el cambio climático es el problema más grave que enfrenta nuestra planeta. (Without a doubt, climate change is the most serious problem that our planet faces.)

Por otra parte   — On the other hand

Es importante que la economía crezca, pero por otra parte, tenemos que cuidar el medio ambiente. (It’s important that the economy grows, but on the other hand, we have to care for the environment.)

Aunque   — Even though/Although

Aunque is followed by an indicative verb when the outcome is known, but a subjunctive verb when the outcome is speculative.

Aunque cuesta mucho dinero, tenemos que buscar una solución. (Even though it costs a lot of money, we have to search for a solution.)

Aunque cueste mucho dinero, tenemos que buscar una solución . (Even though it may cost a lot of money, we have to search for a solution.)

Al igual que  —   Just like

Al igual que en los años 40, hoy en día hay mucha gente que no quiere ayudar a los refugiados de guerra . (Just like in the 40s, today there are many people who don’t want to help war refugees.)

Tanto… como… — … as well as…

Fill in this phrase with two nouns to emphasize that you’re talking equally about two different things.

Tanto chicos como chicas deberían aprender a cocinar, limpiar, coser y cuidar a los bebés. (Boys as well as girls ought to learn how to cook, clean, sew and care for babies.)  

Sino   —   But rather

Remember that Spanish has two translations for the English word “but.” The word sino is like the English phrase “but rather,” used to introduce an alternative.

En comparación  —   In comparison

En comparación, la fuente número 2 indica que hay más obesidad en Estados Unidos que en España . (In comparison, source number 2 indicates that there is more obesity in the United States than in Spain.)

Leer no es una pérdida de tiempo, sino una manera de aprender y de conocer otras culturas . (Reading isn’t a waste of time, but rather a way to learn and understand other cultures.)

Además  — Additionally

This word is usually seen at the beginning of a sentence, and it’s useful for transitioning from one idea or argument to another.

Además, es evidente que la tecnología nos ayuda mucho. (Additionally, it’s evident that technology helps us a lot.)

Sin embargo   —   However

This is another good transition word. In your essay, you may want to present an alternate argument and then explain why you disagree with it. Sin embargo is very helpful for this.

Obviamente, estudiar es muy importante. Sin embargo, es necesario que los adolescentes tengan tiempo para jugar con sus amigos . (Obviously, studying is very important. However, it’s necessary that teenagers have time to play with their friends.)

Por lo cual   —   For this reason/That’s why/Which is why

This phrase is used in the middle of a sentence to connect ideas.

La Amazonía tiene un alto nivel de biodiversidad, por lo cual la conservación de esta región debe ser una prioridad.  (The Amazon has a high level of biodiversity, which is why the conservation of this region must be a priority.)

Sobre un tema relacionado — On a related topic

Sobre un tema relacionado con la inteligencia artificial, se están llevando a cabo investigaciones para mejorar la capacidad de aprendizaje de los algoritmos de machine learning.  (Regarding a topic related to artificial intelligence, research is being conducted to enhance the learning capacity of machine learning algorithms.)

Cuando se trata de –  When it comes to

Relacionado con esta idea — Related to this idea

Una idea similar es — A similar idea is

Una idea similar es utilizar la realidad virtual como herramienta educativa para mejorar la experiencia de aprendizaje de los estudiantes. (A similar idea is to use virtual reality as an educational tool to enhance the learning experience of students.)

Ahora estoy pasando a  — Now moving onto

In your final paragraph, you’ll want to provide a summary of your main argument and your main supporting points. You can use the following helpful phrases:

En conclusión   —   In conclusion

En resumen   —   In summary

En fin   —   Finally

En conclusión,/En resumen,/En fin, las tres fuentes muestran que la contaminación del aire es un problema muy grave para todo el mundo . (In summary, the three sources show that air pollution is a very serious problem for the whole world.)

After summarizing your essay, you’ll want to restate your main argument in a succinct, strongly-worded sentence. Start with these phrases:

Por estas razones   —   For these reasons

Por eso  — That is why

Así que   —   Therefore

Entonces  — So

Por estas razones,/Por eso,/Así que/Entonces, afirmo que los adolescentes no deberían usar las redes sociales. (For these reasons, I affirm that teenagers should not use social media.)

In many ways, preparing for the free-response section is the same as preparing for the rest of the AP exam.

It involves studying grammar and vocabulary, and it also means immersing yourself in the Spanish language as much as possible.

There are also some targeted ways to practice for the free-response section.

• Do practice exams and read sample essays. The College Board  has posted the full AP exams from the last several years. Try to read the sources and write the essay in the allotted 55 minutes. When you’re done, go back and slowly revise your essay for errors in grammar, spelling and logic. After that, you can also check out the grading rubric provided by the College Board and several sample persuasive essays . Try to compare your essay against the rubric and the samples to see how you can improve your writing.
• Practice summarizing and analyzing Spanish-language sources. Remember all those great resources listed above? Well, it’s not enough to just read or listen to them. The whole point of the presentational essay is to measure your ability to summarize, synthesize and argue. So, after you read or listen to a Spanish-language source, take five minutes to summarize it—on paper. Identify the main argument, and then make a bulleted list of important points. Finally, write a few sentences summarizing your personal opinion.
• Learn targeted vocabulary for talking about opinions and arguments. Is there anything more frustrating than knowing exactly what you want to say, but not having the vocabulary to say it? This article lists many crucial vocabulary words for expressing and supporting opinions in persuasive essays. Using these words and phrases will help make your writing flow more smoothly, and allow you to argue with more credibility.

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You can also find some great info on great news outlets , podcasts , YouTube channels  and blogs —all in Spanish. Even following some Spanish Twitter feeds or listening to Spanish music can be a great way to work a little language practice into your day.

The free-response section of the exam is meant to test your ability to communicate with others in spoken and written Spanish.

There are two essays in the free-response section. The interpersonal essay asks you to respond to an email. The presentational essay  tests how well you can draw information from Spanish-language sources, form an argument and write formally. This second essay is a little less straightforward, so we’ll walk you through it here.

So, how does it work?

The presentational essay is based on three sources . Two of them are written sources and one is an audio source.

These sources can be just about anything: Advertisements, articles, infographics, letters, maps, interviews, radio programs, podcasts and conversations are just some examples of the types of sources you may encounter.

You’ll have about 55 minutes to complete this particular essay. First, you’ll have six minutes to read the prompt and the two written sources, and then you’ll hear the audio source twice. Finally, you’ll have 40 minutes to plan and write your essay.

The essay is graded on the basis of Spanish language skills like reading, listening, writing and grammar—but it’s also based on your general ability to analyze the sources and make a strong, coherent argument.

Of course, learning vocabulary and essay phrases is just one way to prepare for the free-response section.

Remember to expose yourself to as many Spanish-language sources as you can before test day, and don’t forget to think critically about those sources as you read them!

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Translations dictionary

or esse [ es -ey] or [ ey -sey]

What does ese mean?

Ese , amigo , hombre . Or, in English slang, dude ,  bro , homey . Ese is a Mexican-Spanish slang term of address for a fellow man.

Related words

Where does ese come from.

Ese originates in Mexican Spanish. Ese literally means “that” or “that one,” and likely extended to “fellow man” as shortened from expressions like ese vato , “that guy.”

There are some more elaborate (though less probable) theories behind ese . One goes that a notorious Mexican gang, the  Sureños  (“Southerners”), made their way from Mexico City to Southern California in the 1960s.  Ese is the Spanish name for letter S , which is how the gang members referred to each other. Or so the story goes.

Ese is recorded in English for a “fellow Hispanic man” in the 1960s. It became more a general term of address by the 1980s, though  ese remains closely associated (and even stereotyped) with Chicano culture in the US.

Ese is notably found in the Chicano poetry of José Antonio Burciaga and Cheech & Chong comedy routines (Cheech Marin is Mexican-American.)

White confusion over ese was memorably parodied in a 2007 episode of the TV show South Park . On it, the boys think they can get some Mexican men to write their essays , but them men write letters home to their eses .

Examples of ese

Who uses ese?

For Mexican and Mexican-American Spanish speakers,  ese has the force of “dude,” “brother,” or “man,” i.e., a close and trusted friend or compatriot .

I needa kick it wit my ese's its been a minute — al (@a1anxs) February 1, 2019

It’s often used as friendly and familiar term of address…

Always a good time with my ese. 😎 pic.twitter.com/xxM4YroWDV — | Y | G | (@yg_monroe) January 12, 2019

…but it can also be more aggressively and forcefully.

Cypress Hill 2018: Who you tryin' ta mess with, ese? Don't you know I'm seeking professional help for my deep rooted emotional problemsssssss?!? — JAY. (@GoonLeDouche) June 30, 2018

“You’d have to be crazy to swipe left.” Who you tryna get crazy with, ese? Don’t you know I’m loco? Sorry, always wanted to say that. Anyway, swipe left. Might actually be crazy. — Why I Swiped Left (@LeftyMcSwiper) December 17, 2018

Ese is associated with Mexican and Chicano American culture, where it can refer to and be used by both men and women. The term is also specifically associated with Mexican-American gang culture.

What's up ese? pic.twitter.com/0vAQxZZ6SO — AlesiAkiraKitsune© (@AlesiAkira) January 21, 2019

It is often considered appropriative for people outside those cultures to use ese , especially since some non-Mexican people may use  ese in ways that mock Mexicans and Mexican-American culture.

This is not meant to be a formal definition of ese like most terms we define on Dictionary.com, but is rather an informal word summary that hopefully touches upon the key aspects of the meaning and usage of ese that will help our users expand their word mastery.

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51 Spanish Phrases for Essays to Impress with Words

• January 7, 2021

Joanna Lupa

Communicating in a foreign language is hard enough, even in everyday situations, when no sophisticated or academic vocabulary is needed. 

Being able to write an actual essay in Spanish requires you not only to have a solid grammar base but also be knowledgeable about specific phrases and words typically used in school and university writing. 

For those of you who study in one of the Spanish speaking countries or are toying with the idea of signing up for an exchange program, I have prepared a summary of useful Spanish phrases for essays. They are divided into the following categories:

• Connectors (sequence, contrast, cause and effect, additional information, and conclusion)
• Expressions to give your opinion, agree and disagree with a thesis
• fancy academic expressions

Spanish Connectors to Use in Essays

Written language tends to be more formal than the spoken one. Ideas get explained in complex sentences showing how they relate to each other. A fantastic tool to achieve that is connectors.

What are some useful Spanish connectors for essays? Let’s have a look at the ten examples below:

• 🇪🇸 primero – 🇬🇧 first
• 🇪🇸 segundo – 🇬🇧 second
• 🇪🇸 el siguiente argumento – 🇬🇧 the next argument
• 🇪🇸 finalmente – 🇬🇧 finally, last but not least 
• 🇪🇸 sin embargo – 🇬🇧 however, nevertheless, nonetheless
• 🇪🇸 por lo tanto – 🇬🇧 therefore, thus
• 🇪🇸 además – 🇬🇧 besides
• 🇪🇸 por un lado….por el otro lado – 🇬🇧 on the one hand….on the other hand
• 🇪🇸 a menos que – 🇬🇧 unless
• 🇪🇸 a pesar de (algo) – 🇬🇧 despite / in spite of (something)
• 🇪🇸 aunque / a pesar de que – 🇬🇧 although / even though
• 🇪🇸 debido a – 🇬🇧 due to
• 🇪🇸 puesto que / dado que – 🇬🇧 given that
• 🇪🇸 ya que –  🇬🇧 since
• 🇪🇸 mientras que – 🇬🇧 whereas
• 🇪🇸 en conclusión – 🇬🇧 in conclusion
• 🇪🇸 para concluir – 🇬🇧 to conclude

Do you think you would know how to use these connectors in an essay? Let’s suppose you are writing about ecology:

🇪🇸 Los paises han estado cambiando sus politicas. Sin embargo, aún queda mucho por hacer.  🇬🇧 Countries have been changing their policies. However, there is still a lot to do. 

🇪🇸 Una de las amenazas climáticas es el efecto invernadero. Además está la contaminación del agua que presenta un serio riesgo para la salud.  🇬🇧 One of the climate threats is the greenhouse effect. Besides, there is water pollution that presents a severe health hazard. 

🇪🇸 A pesar de los acuerdos internacionales, varios países no han mejorado sus normas ambientales.  🇬🇧 Despite international agreements, many countries haven’t yet improved their environmental standards. 

🇪🇸 Debido a la restricción en el uso de bolsas de plástico desechables, Chile ha podido reducir su huella de carbono.  🇬🇧 Due to the restrictions in the use of disposable plastic bags, Chile has been able to reduce its carbon print. 

Spanish Phrases to Express Your Opinion in Essays

Essay topics commonly require you to write what you think about something. Or whether you agree or disagree with an idea, a project, or someone’s views. 

The words below will allow you to express your opinion effortlessly and go beyond the typical “creo que ” – “ I think ”:

• 🇪🇸 (yo) opino que – 🇬🇧 in my opinion
• 🇪🇸 me parece que – 🇬🇧 it seems to me
• 🇪🇸 desde mi punto de vista – 🇬🇧 from my point of view
• 🇪🇸 (no) estoy convencido que  – 🇬🇧 I am (not) convinced that
• 🇪🇸 no me cabe la menor duda – 🇬🇧 I have no doubt 
• 🇪🇸 estoy seguro que – 🇬🇧 I’m sure
• 🇪🇸 dudo que – 🇬🇧 I doubt
• 🇪🇸 sospecho que – 🇬🇧 I suspect
• 🇪🇸 asumo que – 🇬🇧 I assume
• 🇪🇸 estoy (totalmente, parcialmente) de acuerdo – 🇬🇧 I (totally, partially) agree
• 🇪🇸 no estoy de acuerdo en absoluto – 🇬🇧 I absolutely disagree
• 🇪🇸 opino diferente – 🇬🇧 I have a different opinion
• 🇪🇸 me niego a aceptar – 🇬🇧 I refuse to accept
• 🇪🇸 estoy en contra / a favor de – 🇬🇧 I am against / in favor of
• 🇪🇸 no podría estar más de acuerdo – 🇬🇧 I couldn’t agree more
• 🇪🇸 encuentro absolutamente cierto / falso  – 🇬🇧 I find it absolutely correct / false

Phrases like these can really give shape to your essay and increase its formality level. This time, let’s verify it with views on education: 

🇪🇸 Opino que estudiando remotamente los jóvenes están perdiendo las habilidades sociales.  🇬🇧 In my opinion, remote schooling makes youngsters lose their social skills. 

🇪🇸 Dudo que esta decisión traiga verdaderos cambios para el sistema educacional en mi país.  🇬🇧 I doubt this change will bring any real changes to the educational system in my country. 

🇪🇸 Estoy totalmente de acuerdo con que todos deberían tener acceso a educación de calidad. 🇬🇧 I totally agree that everyone should have access to good quality education. 

🇪🇸 Estoy en contra de escuelas solo para niñas o solo para niños.  🇬🇧 I am against girls-only or boys-only schools. 

Pay attention to certain language differences between English and Spanish versions. The most common mistake that my students make is to say “ I am agree ” ❌ (direct translation from “ Estoy de acuerdo ”) instead of “ I agree ”✔️. 

Fancy Academic Verbs and Expressions for Essays in Spanish

Would you like to impress your professor with sophisticated academic vocabulary or get extra points on your DELE? Grab a pen and take notes:

• 🇪🇸 afirmar  – 🇬🇧 to state
• 🇪🇸 refutar – 🇬🇧 to refute, to reject
• 🇪🇸 argumentar – 🇬🇧 to argue that
• 🇪🇸 poner en duda  – 🇬🇧 to cast doubt
• 🇪🇸 poner en evidencia – 🇬🇧 to shed light 
• 🇪🇸 demostrar – 🇬🇧 to demonstrate
• 🇪🇸 concentrarse en – 🇬🇧 to focus on
• 🇪🇸 sostener – 🇬🇧 to sustain
• 🇪🇸 reflejar – 🇬🇧 to reflect
• 🇪🇸 considerando (que) – 🇬🇧 considering (that)
• 🇪🇸 siendo realista – 🇬🇧 realistically speaking
• 🇪🇸 de cierto modo – 🇬🇧 in a way
• 🇪🇸 en lo que se refiere a – 🇬🇧 with regards to
• 🇪🇸 en vista de – 🇬🇧 in view of
• 🇪🇸 de acuerdo a – 🇬🇧 according to
• 🇪🇸 no obstante – 🇬🇧 nevertheless

So many great words to work with! And some of them sound really similar to English, right? This is exactly why Spanish is such a good option when you want to learn a second language.

Let’s see how to make all these verbs and phrases work:

🇪🇸 Los resultados de los nuevos estudios ponen en duda la relación entre el consumo de huevos y altos niveles de colesterol.  🇬🇧 The recent study findings cast doubt on the relation between egg consumption and high cholesterol levels. 

🇪🇸 Los autores del estudio argumentan que los azucares y los carbohidratos juegan un rol importante en este asunto.  🇬🇧 The authors of the study argue that sugars and carbs play an important role in this topic. 

🇪🇸 En lo que se refiere al consumo de carne, este influye directamente los niveles de colesterol malo, sobre todo si es carne con mucha grasa. 🇬🇧 Regarding meat consumption, it directly influences the levels of “bad” cholesterol, especially in the case of greasy meat. 

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The Essential Guide to Spanish Linking Words

What are Spanish linking words? 

Well, they simply make you sound better, both in speech and in writing. 

Your sentences flow naturally, and your ideas logically build on each other. 

Sparkle your essay with a couple of good linking words in Spanish and you’ll surely get an A.

Let’s take a closer look at Spanish linking words, different types that exist, and how to use them in a sentence. 

Spanish Linking Words

Spanish linking words, also called connective words, are words and phrases you use to connect ideas in a piece of writing. We connect phrases and clauses within a sentence and sentences and paragraphs when writing, for example, an essay.

Two types of linking words exist:

Conjunctions

• Transition words

Conjunctions connect ideas within clauses and sentences, meanwhile transition words connect sentences and paragraphs. 

Keep reading as we cover the following details about Spanish connecting words:

• how and when to use them
• rules of linking in Spanish
• list of useful linking words in Spanish, organized by function

Conjunctions connect words, clauses, phrases, and sentences. These Spanish linking words can be single words or two or more words that form conjunctive expressions. In Spanish, there are two main conjunction groups: 

• Coordinating conjunctions
• Subordinating conjunctions

Coordinating Conjunctions

Coordinating conjunctions connect words, phrases, clauses, and sentences of equal value. You can separate them, and they can exist individually.

Coordinating conjunctions have one of the following functions:

• express addition: y (and)
• give an alternative: o (or)
• express contrast: pero (but)

You can find a full list of coordinating conjunctions at the end of this post (with translation!), but let’s have a look at some sample sentences with coordinating conjunctions.

Me encanta tu personalidad y tu sonrisa. I love your personality and your smile.

Puedes leer el libro o ver la tele. You can read a book or watch TV.

La busqué pero no la encontré. I looked for it but could not find it.

To learn more about coordinating conjunctions, check out the following articles. You can also complete a quiz and try some Spanish connectors exercises!

• 9 Coordinating Conjunctions in Spanish Essential to Know
• The Ultimate Guide to Using ‘And’ in Spanish  
• What’s the Difference Between Pero and Sino?

Subordinating Conjunctions

Subordinating conjunctions are a type of Spanish linking words that introduce subordinate clauses. These clauses cannot exist by themselves, and they depend on the main clause. The tricky part about subordinating clauses is whether to use the indicative or subjunctive mood, which is determined by the linking word you use.

There are 9 types of subordinating conjunctions. As I mentioned before, there’s a full list of them at the end of this post with information about what mood should be used, but let’s have a quick look at some of the Spanish linking words in each of these groups.

1. Causal Conjunctions

These connective words introduce a clause with a reason or cause of the action in the main clause. They translate to “because,” “since,” or “as.” For example, como :

Como a Pedro no le gusta caminar, siempre viaja en carro. Since Pedro doesn’t like walking, he always travels by car.

2. Conjunctions of Comparison

These Spanish linking words compare information in two clauses. For example, como si (as if):

Hace flexiones como si fuera un gran atleta. He does push-ups as if he was a great athlete.

3. Relative Conjunctions

Relative conjunctions, such as si or que translate to “if” or “that” in English.

No sé si lo puedo terminar a tiempo. I don’t know if I can finish it on time.

4. Conjunctions of Concession

These Spanish linking words introduce information that contradicts the main clause. For example, aun cuando (although, even though).

Él trabaja mucho aun cuando está de vacaciones. He works a lot, even when he’s on vacation.

5. Conjunctions of Result

Do you want to introduce the effect or consequences of the action in the main clause? Conjunctions of result are for these. For example, de modo que (that):

Hay que hacerlo de modo que sea seguro para todos. It must be done in a way that is safe for everyone.

6. Conjunctions of Condition

Si (if), siempre y cuando (as long as) are examples of linking words used in conditional sentences.

Lo haré, siempre y cuando me devuelva el dinero. I will, as long as I get my money back.

7. Conjunctions of Purpose

If you want to talk about intentions or goals of the verbs from the main clause, use linking words such as para que (so that)

Te lo dije para que lo hicieras tú sola. I told you so that you do it yourself.

8. Illative Conjunctions

Illative conjunctions introduce something that can be inferred from the main clause. In English, it’s “therefore” for example, and in Spanish luego.

Pienso, luego existo. I think, therefore I exist.

9. Conjunctions of Time

These conjunctions determine the time period of the action in the main clause. For example mientras (while):

Mientras corres, puedes escuchar música. While you’re running, you can listen to music.

To learn more about subordinating conjunctions, check out:

• 9 Types of Subordinating Conjunctions in Spanish That Will Supercharge Your Fluency
• The Ultimate Guide to ‘Even Though’ in Spanish

Transition Words

Transition words connect ideas between sentences and they give a natural flow to your speech or writing. These are so-called “Spanish essay linking words” because they help to transition your ideas in a smooth way in any text.

Transition words are sometimes the same conjunctions you use to link ideas within a sentence but you have a sea of other possibilities. Depending on your purpose, you can use transition words from one of the eight groups: 

• Explanation

See the full list of transition words from each of the above categories at the end of this post, but first, let’s see how they look in a text.

Primero, quiero contarte una historia. Allá voy, espera. Además, te quiero contar una historia que nadie antes haya oído. Es decir, vas a ser el único en saberlo. Así que, presta atención, sobre todo cuando mencione algunas fechas. Aunque, si quieres, la puedes contar después a tus propios hijos. Al fin y al cabo, esta historia ya será tuya.

First, I want to tell you a story. Here I go, wait. Also, I want to tell you a story that no one has heard before. I mean, you’ll be the only one to know it. So pay attention, especially when I mention some dates. Although if you want, you can tell it later to your own children. After all, this story will already be yours.

Learn more: 50 Useful Transition Words in Spanish for Everyday Speech and Writing

A List of Spanish Linking Words

Here’s a handy list of Spanish linking words in one single place! 

Download the PDF and take it with you while writing essays—you’ll amaze your Spanish teacher!

Download the Spanish Linking Words Cheat Sheet!

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Spanish Linking Words Chart

Después de Todo

Now that you know all types of Spanish linking words it’s time to check how they feel in a speech. Sign up today for a free class to practice your conversational skills with one of our friendly, native Spanish-speaking teachers from Guatemala. They can give you more tips on how to improve your oral and writing skills supercharged now by Spanish connective words.

Ready to learn more Spanish grammar? Check these out!

• Master All the Forms of Ser in Spanish: Your Ultimate Grammar Guide
• 20 Most Common Subjunctive Triggers in Spanish
• 23 Common Spanish Prepositions You Can Use Today
• 25 Common Subjunctive Phrases in Spanish Conversation
• What Is an Infinitive in Spanish?
• A Complete Guide to Imperfect Conjugation for Beginners
• How to Talk About the Temperature in Spanish: Fahrenheit, Celcius, and Descriptions
• A Complete Guide to Preterite Conjugation for Beginners
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