Con and Sin: With and Without
Quick Answer: 'Con' means 'with' and 'sin' means 'without.' Special forms: conmigo (with me), contigo (with you-informal), consigo (with himself/herself/themselves).
Simple prepositions with a few surprises
Category: Prepositions
The Rule
'Con' means 'with' and 'sin' means 'without.' Special forms: conmigo (with me), contigo (with you-informal), consigo (with himself/herself/themselves). 'Sin' can be followed by an infinitive: 'sin hablar' (without speaking).
Why This Matters
Con and sin are straightforward, but English speakers should note: (1) the special pronoun forms conmigo/contigo, (2) 'con' can express manner ('con cuidado' = carefully), and (3) 'sin + infinitive' translates to 'without + -ing' in English.
Examples
• ¿Quieres venir conmigo? — "Do you want to come with me?" [Conmigo, not 'con yo' or 'con mí'] • Café sin azúcar, por favor. — "Coffee without sugar, please." [Sin + noun] • Salió sin decir nada. — "He left without saying anything." [Sin + infinitive = without + -ing] • Lo hizo con mucho cuidado. — "She did it with great care / very carefully." [Con + noun = manner adverb]
Common Mistakes
❌ Ven con mí. ✅ Ven conmigo. → 'With me' is the special form 'conmigo,' not 'con mí.' Similarly, 'with you' (informal) is 'contigo,' not 'con ti.' ❌ Sin hablando. ✅ Sin hablar. → After sin (and most prepositions), use the infinitive in Spanish, not the gerund. Spanish: preposition + infinitive. English: preposition + -ing.
Quick Tip
After ANY preposition in Spanish, use the infinitive (not -ando/-iendo): sin comer, para estudiar, antes de salir, después de llegar, en vez de hablar. This is the opposite of English, which uses the -ing form after prepositions.
After ANY preposition in Spanish, use the infinitive (not -ando/-iendo): sin comer, para estudiar, antes de salir, después de llegar, en vez de hablar. This is the opposite of English, which uses the -ing form after prepositions.
Examples
Common Mistakes
Incorrect: Ven con mí. → Correct: Ven conmigo.. 'With me' is the special form 'conmigo,' not 'con mí.' Similarly, 'with you' (informal) is 'contigo,' not 'con ti.'
Incorrect: Sin hablando. → Correct: Sin hablar.. After sin (and most prepositions), use the infinitive in Spanish, not the gerund. Spanish: preposition + infinitive. English: preposition + -ing.
Quiz
'I went with her without telling anyone.' Which is correct?