In other words: es decir, o sea
When you need to rephrase a statement, simplify a technical problem, or clarify what you mean, Spanish uses clarification connectors.
The two most common ways to say "that is to say," "in other words," or "I mean" are es decir and o sea.
| The pipe is damaged, that is to say, we have a leak. | La tubería está dañada, es decir, tenemos una fuga. |
| The valve does not work, that is to say, do not open it. | La válvula no funciona, es decir, no la abras. |
O sea is slightly more colloquial and is frequently used in spoken Spanish, much like saying "I mean..." in English to rephrase or draw a conclusion.
| I mean, you need to call the plumber because it is dripping. | O sea, necesitas llamar al plomero porque está goteando. |
| The plumber has fixed the leak, in other words, it is not dripping. | El plomero ha arreglado la fuga, o sea, no está goteando. |
Notice that just like in English, these connectors are usually set off by commas. Use them whenever you need to break down a complex issue into simpler terms!
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