solo

alone

USAGE NOTE

The adverb "solo" becomes "sólo" when there is the possibility of confusing it with the adjective "solo." As an example, "Tomé un café solo" can be translated as "I drank a black coffee" or "I only drank a coffee." "Tomé un café sólo" can only be translated as "I only drank a coffee."

solo(soh-loh)

adjective

1. (unaccompanied)

a. alone

Me da miedo estar solo en la oscuridad.

It scares me to be alone in the dark.

b. on one's own

¿Prefieres ver películas sola, o con amigos?

Do you prefer to watch movies on your own, or with friends?

c. by itself

Quiero la hamburguesa sola, sin pan.

I want the burger by itself, without a bun.

2. (lonesome)

a. lonely

Me sentía muy sola cuando llegué a Tokio por primera vez.

I felt very lonely when I arrived in Tokyo for the first time.

3. (sole)

a. single

Este cuarto tiene un solo clóset, pero tenemos mucha ropa.

This room has a single closet, but we have a lot of clothes.

4. (related to coffee)

a. black

Tomaré un café solo, por favor.

I will have a black coffee, please.

adverb

5. (simply)

a. only

Solo hay un problema.

There is only one problem.

b. just

Solo haz lo que te digo. No hagas preguntas.

Just do what I tell you. Don't ask questions.

masculine noun

6. (music)

a. solo

El solo de guitarra fue espectacular.

The guitar solo was amazing.

solo

adjective

1. (sin nadie)

a. alone

me gusta estar soloI like being alone o on my own o by myself

¿vives solo?do you live alone o on your own o by yourself?

lo hice yo soloI did it on my own o by myself

2. (fam fig)

a.

estar más solo que la unato be all on one's own

a solasalone, by oneself

3. (solitario)

a. lonely

sentirse soloto feel lonely

4. (sin nada más)

a. on its own

5. (café)

a. black

6. (whisky)

a. neat

7. (único)

a. single

no me han comprado ni un solo regalothey didn't buy me a single present

ni una sola gotanot a (single) drop

dame una sola razóngive me one reason

8. (mero, simple)

a. very, mere

la sola idea de suspender me deprimethe very o mere idea of failing depresses me

Noun

9. (music)

a. solo

solo

adjective

1 (sin compañía) alone; on one's own

pasa los días solo en su cuarto he spends the days alone o on his own in his room; iré solo I'll go alone o on my own; dejar solo a algn to leave sb alone; me quedé solo I was left alone; habla solo he talks to himself; se quedó solo a los siete años he was left an orphan o alone in the world at seven

estar más solo que la una to be all on one's own

es tonto como él solo he's as stupid as they come

lo hace como él solo he does it as no one else can

se queda solo contando mentiras he's as good a liar as you'll find

más vale estar solo que mal acompañado it's better to be on your own than in bad company

2 (solitario) lonely

me siento muy solo I feel very lonely

3 (único)

su sola preocupación es ganar dinero his one o only concern is to make money; con esta sola condición on this one condition; hay una sola dificultad there is only o just one problem; no hubo ni una sola objeción there was not a single objection

4 (sin acompañamiento) [+café, té] black; [+whisky, vodka, ron] straight; neat

tendremos que comer pan solo we shall have to eat plain bread

5 (Música) solo

cantar solo to sing solo

1 (Música) solo

un solo de guitarra a guitar solo; un solo para tenor a tenor solo

2 (café) black coffee

3 (Naipes) solitaire; patience

4 (S. Cone) (lata) tedious conversation

solo

sólo

adverb

(únicamente) only; (exclusivamente) solely; merely; just

solo quiero verlo I only o just want to see it; es solo un teniente he's only a lieutenant; he's a mere lieutenant; no solo A sino también B not only A but also B; solo con apretar un botón at the touch of a button; me parece bien solo que no tengo tiempo that's fine, only o but I don't have the time; ven aunque solo sea para media hora come even if it's just for half an hour; con solo que sepas tocar algunas notas even if you only know how to play a few notes; solo con que estudies dos horas diarias by studying for as little as two hours a day; tan solo only; just; solo que ... except that ...; viajará sólo un par de días he'll only be away for a couple of days

In the past the standard spelling for this adverb was with an accent ([sólo]). Nowadays the [Real Academia Española] advises that the accented form is only required where there might otherwise be confusion with the adjective [solo].