con + o = co
Contractions of Con with the Article
When con (with) comes before o, a, os, as, they join: co, coa, cos, coas.
How It Works
1. The four forms
- con + o = co: co meu irmán (with my brother)
- con + a = coa: coa miña nai (with my mother)
- con + os = cos: cos amigos (with my friends)
- con + as = coas: coas miñas amigas (with my female friends)
2. Coa, not ca
Many speakers say ca for con + a. The official rules chose the full form coa for writing. This also keeps it apart from ca, the word for "than" in comparisons.
3. Co or có?
Co (with the) has no accent. Có with an accent means "than the" and comes from ca + o. Use co whenever you mean "with".
4. Related forms
- With the indefinite article: cun, cunha.
- With the pronouns "me", "you" and "us": comigo, contigo, connosco.
For what con itself means, see con and sen.
Examples (5)
- Vou co meu irmán.
I'm going with my brother.
Word by Word: I-go with-the my brother.
- Falo coa miña nai todos os días.
I talk to my mother every day.
Word by Word: I-speak with-the my mother all the days.
- Saio cos amigos os venres.
I go out with my friends on Fridays.
Word by Word: I-go-out with-the friends the Fridays.
- Como a sopa coa culler.
I eat the soup with the spoon.
Word by Word: I-eat the soup with-the spoon.
- Paseo coas miñas amigas.
I go for walks with my friends.
Word by Word: I-walk with-the my friends-(female).
Common Mistakes
Writing con and the article as two words.
Vou con o meu irmán.Vou co meu irmán.When con introduces a noun with o, a, os or as, the two join: co, coa, cos, coas.
Writing ca for con + a.
Falo ca miña nai.Falo coa miña nai.Ca is common in speech, but the standard written form is coa. Ca means "than".
Adding an accent to co.
Vou có meu irmán.Vou co meu irmán.Có with an accent means "than the". "With the" is co, without an accent.
How It Connects
Learn This First
Con joins the definite article in the forms co, coa, cos and coas.
Related Patterns
- comigo / contigo / connoscoComigo, Contigo and Connosco
Con also joins the pronouns: comigo, contigo, connosco.
Level 2 - dun / nun / cunContractions with Un and Unha
Con also contracts with the indefinite article: cun, cunha.
Level 2 - ca + o = cóContractions of Ca with the Article
Có (than the) looks like co but comes from ca.
Level 4 - de + o = doContractions of De with the Article
The same kind of contraction with de.
Level 1
Words in This Pattern
Practice con + o = co in Bubblegum
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