📧 Emails

⏱ 14 min read

In this lesson you will learn useful English vocabulary and everyday expressions for writing, sending, receiving, and replying to emails, including attachments, inboxes, subject lines, and common formal email language. Each English word or phrase includes a simple meaning plus translations in several languages.

🟢 Basic Email Vocabulary

📧 Email
a written message sent by computer
Show translationsHide translations🇪🇸 Spanish: Correo electrónico
🇫🇷 French: E-mail / Courriel
🇩🇪 German: E-Mail
🇮🇹 Italian: E-mail
🇵🇹 Portuguese: E-mail / Correio eletrônico
📝 Message
the words you write in an email
Show translationsHide translations🇪🇸 Spanish: Mensaje
🇫🇷 French: Message
🇩🇪 German: Nachricht
🇮🇹 Italian: Messaggio
🇵🇹 Portuguese: Mensagem
📨 Inbox
the place where new emails arrive
Show translationsHide translations🇪🇸 Spanish: Bandeja de entrada
🇫🇷 French: Boîte de réception
🇩🇪 German: Posteingang
🇮🇹 Italian: Casella di posta in arrivo
🇵🇹 Portuguese: Caixa de entrada
📎 Attachment
a file sent with an email
Show translationsHide translations🇪🇸 Spanish: Archivo adjunto
🇫🇷 French: Pièce jointe
🇩🇪 German: Anhang
🇮🇹 Italian: Allegato
🇵🇹 Portuguese: Anexo
📋 Subject
the short title at the top of an email
Show translationsHide translations🇪🇸 Spanish: Asunto
🇫🇷 French: Objet / Sujet
🇩🇪 German: Betreff
🇮🇹 Italian: Oggetto
🇵🇹 Portuguese: Assunto
👤 Recipient
the person who receives the email
Show translationsHide translations🇪🇸 Spanish: Destinatario / Destinataria
🇫🇷 French: Destinataire
🇩🇪 German: Empfänger / Empfängerin
🇮🇹 Italian: Destinatario / Destinataria
🇵🇹 Portuguese: Destinatário / Destinatária

🔵 Common Email Actions

📤 To send
to deliver an email to someone
Show translationsHide translations🇪🇸 Spanish: Enviar
🇫🇷 French: Envoyer
🇩🇪 German: Senden / Schicken
🇮🇹 Italian: Inviare
🇵🇹 Portuguese: Enviar
📥 To receive
to get an email in your inbox
Show translationsHide translations🇪🇸 Spanish: Recibir
🇫🇷 French: Recevoir
🇩🇪 German: Empfangen / Erhalten
🇮🇹 Italian: Ricevere
🇵🇹 Portuguese: Receber
↩️ To reply
to write back to an email
Show translationsHide translations🇪🇸 Spanish: Responder
🇫🇷 French: Répondre
🇩🇪 German: Antworten
🇮🇹 Italian: Rispondere
🇵🇹 Portuguese: Responder
➡️ To forward
to send someone else's email to another person
Show translationsHide translations🇪🇸 Spanish: Reenviar
🇫🇷 French: Transférer
🇩🇪 German: Weiterleiten
🇮🇹 Italian: Inoltrare
🇵🇹 Portuguese: Encaminhar / Reenviar
📎 To attach
to add a file to an email
Show translationsHide translations🇪🇸 Spanish: Adjuntar
🇫🇷 French: Joindre / Attacher
🇩🇪 German: Anhängen
🇮🇹 Italian: Allegare
🇵🇹 Portuguese: Anexar
🗑️ To delete
to remove an email from your inbox
Show translationsHide translations🇪🇸 Spanish: Eliminar / Borrar
🇫🇷 French: Supprimer
🇩🇪 German: Löschen
🇮🇹 Italian: Eliminare / Cancellare
🇵🇹 Portuguese: Excluir / Apagar

🟡 Formal Email Vocabulary

👔 Dear
a polite word used at the start of a letter
Show translationsHide translations🇪🇸 Spanish: Estimado / Estimada
🇫🇷 French: Cher / Chère
🇩🇪 German: Sehr geehrter / Sehr geehrte
🇮🇹 Italian: Gentile / Egregio
🇵🇹 Portuguese: Prezado / Prezados / Cara / Caro
🙏 Thank you
a polite way to show gratitude
Show translationsHide translations🇪🇸 Spanish: Gracias
🇫🇷 French: Merci
🇩🇪 German: Danke / Vielen Dank
🇮🇹 Italian: Grazie
🇵🇹 Portuguese: Obrigado / Obrigada
📩 Reply / Response
an answer to an email
Show translationsHide translations🇪🇸 Spanish: Respuesta
🇫🇷 French: Réponse
🇩🇪 German: Antwort
🇮🇹 Italian: Risposta
🇵🇹 Portuguese: Resposta
📄 Request
a polite ask for something
Show translationsHide translations🇪🇸 Spanish: Solicitud
🇫🇷 French: Demande / Requête
🇩🇪 German: Anfrage / Bitte
🇮🇹 Italian: Richiesta
🇵🇹 Portuguese: Solicitação / Pedido
ℹ️ Information
facts or details you need to know
Show translationsHide translations🇪🇸 Spanish: Información
🇫🇷 French: Information
🇩🇪 German: Information
🇮🇹 Italian: Informazione
🇵🇹 Portuguese: Informação
✍️ Signature
your name at the end of an email
Show translationsHide translations🇪🇸 Spanish: Firma
🇫🇷 French: Signature
🇩🇪 German: Unterschrift / Signatur
🇮🇹 Italian: Firma
🇵🇹 Portuguese: Assinatura

🧠 Writing Emails in English

💡 Use Dear as a common formal greeting when writing to one person.
Dear Mr. García:
Show translationsHide translations🇪🇸 Estimado señor García:
🇫🇷 Cher monsieur García :
🇩🇪 Sehr geehrter Herr García:
🇮🇹 Gentile signor García:
🇵🇹 Prezado senhor García:
Dear Mrs. López:
Show translationsHide translations🇪🇸 Estimada señora López:
🇫🇷 Chère madame López :
🇩🇪 Sehr geehrte Frau López:
🇮🇹 Gentile signora López:
🇵🇹 Prezados senhora López:
💡 Use I am writing to… as a useful formal way to explain why you are writing.
I am writing to request more information.
Show translationsHide translations🇪🇸 Le escribo para solicitar más información.
🇫🇷 Je vous écris pour demander plus d'informations.
🇩🇪 Ich schreibe, um weitere Informationen anzufordern.
🇮🇹 Le scrivo per richiedere maggiori informazioni.
🇵🇹 Escrevo para solicitar mais informações.
I am writing to confirm our meeting.
Show translationsHide translations🇪🇸 Le escribo para confirmar nuestra reunión.
🇫🇷 Je vous écris pour confirmer notre réunion.
🇩🇪 Ich schreibe, um unser Meeting zu bestätigen.
🇮🇹 Le scrivo per confermare il nostro incontro.
🇵🇹 Escrevo para confirmar a nossa reunião.
💡 Use expressions such as Kind regards or Sincerely to close a formal email.
Kind regards,
Show translationsHide translations🇪🇸 Saludos cordiales,
🇫🇷 Cordialement,
🇩🇪 Mit freundlichen Grüßen,
🇮🇹 Cordiali saluti,
🇵🇹 Cumprimentos,
Sincerely,
Show translationsHide translations🇪🇸 Atentamente,
🇫🇷 Sincèrement,
🇩🇪 Mit freundlichen Grüßen,
🇮🇹 Cordialmente,
🇵🇹 Atenciosamente,

💬 Useful Email Phrases

📎 I am attaching the requested document.
the file is included with this email
Show translationsHide translations🇪🇸 Spanish: Adjunto el documento solicitado.
🇫🇷 French: Je joins le document demandé.
🇩🇪 German: Ich hänge das angeforderte Dokument an.
🇮🇹 Italian: Allego il documento richiesto.
🇵🇹 Portuguese: Estou anexando o documento solicitado.
📥 Thank you for your email.
a polite way to start a reply
Show translationsHide translations🇪🇸 Spanish: Gracias por su correo electrónico.
🇫🇷 French: Merci pour votre e-mail.
🇩🇪 German: Vielen Dank für Ihre E-Mail.
🇮🇹 Italian: Grazie per la sua e-mail.
🇵🇹 Portuguese: Obrigado pelo seu e-mail.
↩️ Thank you for your quick reply.
you are glad they answered fast
Show translationsHide translations🇪🇸 Spanish: Gracias por su rápida respuesta.
🇫🇷 French: Merci pour votre réponse rapide.
🇩🇪 German: Vielen Dank für Ihre schnelle Antwort.
🇮🇹 Italian: Grazie per la sua rapida risposta.
🇵🇹 Portuguese: Obrigado pela sua resposta rápida.
📅 I am writing to confirm our meeting on Thursday.
this email checks that Thursday is still planned
Show translationsHide translations🇪🇸 Spanish: Le escribo para confirmar nuestra reunión del jueves.
🇫🇷 French: Je vous écris pour confirmer notre réunion de jeudi.
🇩🇪 German: Ich schreibe, um unser Meeting am Donnerstag zu bestätigen.
🇮🇹 Italian: Le scrivo per confermare il nostro incontro di giovedì.
🇵🇹 Portuguese: Escrevo para confirmar a nossa reunião de quinta-feira.

❓ Useful Email Questions

📧 Did you receive my email?
checking if the message arrived
Show translationsHide translations🇪🇸 Spanish: ¿Recibió mi correo electrónico?
🇫🇷 French: Avez-vous reçu mon e-mail ?
🇩🇪 German: Haben Sie meine E-Mail erhalten?
🇮🇹 Italian: Ha ricevuto la mia e-mail?
🇵🇹 Portuguese: Você recebeu o meu e-mail?
📎 Did you receive the attachment?
checking if the file arrived with the email
Show translationsHide translations🇪🇸 Spanish: ¿Recibió el archivo adjunto?
🇫🇷 French: Avez-vous reçu la pièce jointe ?
🇩🇪 German: Haben Sie den Anhang erhalten?
🇮🇹 Italian: Ha ricevuto l'allegato?
🇵🇹 Portuguese: Você recebeu o anexo?
➡️ Can you forward the message to me?
asking someone to send the email on to you
Show translationsHide translations🇪🇸 Spanish: ¿Puede reenviarme el mensaje?
🇫🇷 French: Pouvez-vous me transférer le message ?
🇩🇪 German: Können Sie mir die Nachricht weiterleiten?
🇮🇹 Italian: Può inoltrarmi il messaggio?
🇵🇹 Portuguese: Você pode me encaminhar a mensagem?
📩 What email address should I send it to?
asking which address to use
Show translationsHide translations🇪🇸 Spanish: ¿A qué dirección de correo electrónico debo enviarlo?
🇫🇷 French: À quelle adresse e-mail dois-je l'envoyer ?
🇩🇪 German: An welche E-Mail-Adresse soll ich es senden?
🇮🇹 Italian: A quale indirizzo e-mail devo inviarlo?
🇵🇹 Portuguese: Para qual endereço de e-mail devo enviá-lo?

💬 Everyday Conversations

Checking an email
asking if a message and its file arrived
A: Did you receive the email I sent you yesterday?
B: Yes, I received it this morning.
A: Were you able to open the attachment?
B: Yes, I opened it without any problems.
Show translationsHide translations🇪🇸 A: ¿Recibiste el correo electrónico que te envié ayer?
🇪🇸 B: Sí, lo recibí esta mañana.
🇪🇸 A: ¿Pudiste abrir el archivo adjunto?
🇪🇸 B: Sí, lo abrí sin problemas.

🇫🇷 A: As-tu reçu l'e-mail que je t'ai envoyé hier ?
🇫🇷 B: Oui, je l'ai reçu ce matin.
🇫🇷 A: As-tu pu ouvrir la pièce jointe ?
🇫🇷 B: Oui, je l'ai ouverte sans problème.

🇩🇪 A: Hast du die E-Mail erhalten, die ich dir gestern geschickt habe?
🇩🇪 B: Ja, ich habe sie heute Morgen erhalten.
🇩🇪 A: Konntest du den Anhang öffnen?
🇩🇪 B: Ja, ich habe ihn ohne Probleme geöffnet.

🇮🇹 A: Hai ricevuto l'e-mail che ti ho inviato ieri?
🇮🇹 B: Sì, l'ho ricevuta stamattina.
🇮🇹 A: Sei riuscito ad aprire l'allegato?
🇮🇹 B: Sì, l'ho aperto senza problemi.

🇵🇹 A: Você recebeu o e-mail que eu te enviei ontem?
🇵🇹 B: Sim, eu o recebi esta manhã.
🇵🇹 A: Você conseguiu abrir o anexo?
🇵🇹 B: Sim, eu o abri sem problemas.
Sending a document
asking someone to email a file now
A: Can you send me the document by email?
B: Of course. I'll send it to you right now.
A: Thanks. Let me know when you've sent it.
B: Okay.
Show translationsHide translations🇪🇸 A: ¿Puedes enviarme el documento por correo electrónico?
🇪🇸 B: Claro. Te lo envío ahora mismo.
🇪🇸 A: Gracias. Avísame cuando lo hayas enviado.
🇪🇸 B: De acuerdo.

🇫🇷 A: Peux-tu m'envoyer le document par e-mail ?
🇫🇷 B: Bien sûr. Je te l'envoie tout de suite.
🇫🇷 A: Merci. Dis-moi quand tu l'auras envoyé.
🇫🇷 B: D'accord.

🇩🇪 A: Kannst du mir das Dokument per E-Mail schicken?
🇩🇪 B: Klar. Ich schicke es dir sofort.
🇩🇪 A: Danke. Sag mir Bescheid, wenn du es geschickt hast.
🇩🇪 B: In Ordnung.

🇮🇹 A: Puoi inviarmi il documento via e-mail?
🇮🇹 B: Certo. Te lo invio subito.
🇮🇹 A: Grazie. Fammi sapere quando l'hai inviato.
🇮🇹 B: Va bene.

🇵🇹 A: Você pode me enviar o documento por e-mail?
🇵🇹 B: Claro. Eu te envio agora mesmo.
🇵🇹 A: Obrigado. Me avise quando você tiver enviado.
🇵🇹 B: Tudo bem.

📝 Example Sentences

📨 I checked my inbox this morning and found several new messages.
new emails were waiting in the inbox
Show translationsHide translations🇪🇸 Spanish: Revisé mi bandeja de entrada esta mañana y encontré varios mensajes nuevos.
🇫🇷 French: J'ai vérifié ma boîte de réception ce matin et j'ai trouvé plusieurs nouveaux messages.
🇩🇪 German: Ich habe heute Morgen meinen Posteingang überprüft und mehrere neue Nachrichten gefunden.
🇮🇹 Italian: Ho controllato la mia casella di posta in arrivo stamattina e ho trovato diversi nuovi messaggi.
🇵🇹 Portuguese: Eu verifiquei a minha caixa de entrada esta manhã e encontrei várias mensagens novas.
📎 I forgot to attach the document, so I had to send another email.
the file was missing, so a second email was needed
Show translationsHide translations🇪🇸 Spanish: Olvidé adjuntar el documento, así que tuve que enviar otro correo electrónico.
🇫🇷 French: J'ai oublié de joindre le document, donc j'ai dû envoyer un autre e-mail.
🇩🇪 German: Ich habe vergessen, das Dokument anzuhängen, also musste ich eine weitere E-Mail senden.
🇮🇹 Italian: Ho dimenticato di allegare il documento, quindi ho dovuto inviare un'altra e-mail.
🇵🇹 Portuguese: Eu esqueci de anexar o documento, então tive que enviar outro e-mail.
↩️ I replied to the email as soon as I received the information.
you answered right after you had the details
Show translationsHide translations🇪🇸 Spanish: Respondí al correo electrónico tan pronto como recibí la información.
🇫🇷 French: J'ai répondu à l'e-mail dès que j'ai reçu les informations.
🇩🇪 German: Ich habe auf die E-Mail geantwortet, sobald ich die Informationen erhalten habe.
🇮🇹 Italian: Ho risposto all'e-mail non appena ho ricevuto le informazioni.
🇵🇹 Portuguese: Eu respondi ao e-mail assim que recebi as informações.
➡️ I'm going to forward you the message so you can read all the details.
you will send the same email on to them
Show translationsHide translations🇪🇸 Spanish: Voy a reenviarte el mensaje para que puedas leer todos los detalles.
🇫🇷 French: Je vais te transférer le message pour que tu puisses lire tous les détails.
🇩🇪 German: Ich werde dir die Nachricht weiterleiten, damit du alle Details lesen kannst.
🇮🇹 Italian: Ti inoltrerò il messaggio così potrai leggere tutti i dettagli.
🇵🇹 Portuguese: Eu vou te encaminhar a mensagem para que você possa ler todos os detalhes.
📋 It's important to write a clear subject before sending the email.
the subject line should show what the email is about
Show translationsHide translations🇪🇸 Spanish: Es importante escribir un asunto claro antes de enviar el correo electrónico.
🇫🇷 French: Il est important d'écrire un objet clair avant d'envoyer l'e-mail.
🇩🇪 German: Es ist wichtig, einen klaren Betreff zu schreiben, bevor man die E-Mail sendet.
🇮🇹 Italian: È importante scrivere un oggetto chiaro prima di inviare l'e-mail.
🇵🇹 Portuguese: É importante escrever um assunto claro antes de enviar o e-mail.
🙏 I ended the message with a thank-you and a polite closing.
the email finished with thanks and a kind goodbye
Show translationsHide translations🇪🇸 Spanish: Terminé el mensaje con un agradecimiento y un saludo cordial.
🇫🇷 French: J'ai terminé le message par un remerciement et une formule de politesse.
🇩🇪 German: Ich habe die Nachricht mit einem Dank und einem höflichen Abschluss beendet.
🇮🇹 Italian: Ho concluso il messaggio con un ringraziamento e una chiusura cortese.
🇵🇹 Portuguese: Eu terminei a mensagem com um agradecimento e uma despedida cortês.

🏆 Final Practice

English in the Real World:

Read the situation. Choose the best word or phrase from the lesson.
Question 1 of 8
✅ Correct: 0
❓ Questions: 0
🎯 Accuracy: 0%