Learn Spanish (Latin America): Yo soy estadounidense.

Yo soy estadounidense.

I am American.

Breakdown of Yo soy estadounidense.

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Questions & Answers about Yo soy estadounidense.

Why is estadounidense written with a lowercase letter?

In Spanish, words for nationalities and languages are not capitalized. So, while you capitalize "American" in English, estadounidense starts with a lowercase letter.

If a woman is speaking, does she need to change the ending to estadounidensa?

No, it stays exactly the same! Adjectives for nationalities that end in -ense are gender-neutral. Both men and women use estadounidense.

Why do we use soy here instead of estoy?

Both verbs mean "to be," but Spanish uses ser (the verb soy comes from) for things that are part of your core identity, like your nationality, origin, or physical traits. We use estar for temporary states or locations.

Could I just say americano instead of estadounidense?

You can, but it might cause confusion! In Spanish, americano usually refers to anyone from the continents of North, Central, or South America. To specifically say you are a citizen of the United States, you use estadounidense.