Learn Spanish

Spanish Nouns Used Only in the Plural (work in progress)

Afueras - environsSound
Aguaderas - frames to carry waterSound
Albricias - reward for good news--also used as interjection: joy! joy!!Sound
Andas - stretcher, also frame for carrying an imageSound
Calendas - calendsSound
Calzoncillos - drawersSound
Carnestolendas - carnivalSound
Celos - jealously--"Celo"--zealSound
Hacer cosquillas - to tickleSound
Despabilladoras - snuffersSound
Enaguas - skirtSound
Fauces - gulletSound
Modales - mannersSound
Mientes--also Mente - the mindSound
Parrillas - gridironSound
Puches - sort of frittersSound
Tenazas - tongs, pincersSound
Tijeras - scissorsSound
Tinieblas - utter darknessSound
Víveres - victualsSound
Zaragüelles - kind of breechesSound

Note the following:

Á ciegas - blindlySound
Á ojos cegarritas - blindlySound
Á horcajadas - astrideSound
Á hurtadillas - on the slySound
Á sabiendas - knowinglySound
De puntillas - on tiptoeSound
Á tientas - gropingSound
De bóbilis bóbilis - without toilSound
De bruces - on all foursSound
En ayunas - fastingSound
En volandas - in the air, off one's feetSound

The following plurals, besides the ordinary, have also a different meaning from the singular

El alfiler - pinSound Los alfileres - pins, pin-moneySound
El día - daySound Los días - days, birthdaySound
La esposa - wifeSound Las esposas - wives, handcuffsSound
El grillo - the cricketSound Los grilles - crickets, shacklesSound
La letra - letterSound Las letras - letters--literary knowledgeSound
El padre - fatherSound Los padres[212] - fathers, parentsSound.mp3]
[Footnote 212: In the same manner all masculine plurals include also the plurals of both genders, as: Hermanos (brothers, also brothers and sisters).]

We make the following remarks on the plural of compound words.

The elements which concur to the formation of compound nouns are:

A B
Verbs Adjectives
Prepositions Nouns
Adverbs Participles
Conjunctions Pronouns
Prefixes
General Rule

The elements in A are invariable except:

Un bullebulle - busybodySound Unos bullebullesSound
Un quehacer - occupationSound Unos quehaceresSound
Pasapasa - sleight of handSound Pasapasas - sleight of hand tricksSound

The elements in B take the mark of the plural:

Alzacuello - minister's collarSound AlzacuellosSound
Alzapaño - curtain hookSound AlzapañiosSound
Andaniño - child's cartSound AndaniñiosSound
Antepasado - ancestorSound AntepasadosSound
Ave María - a prayerSound Ave MaríasSound
Cualquiera - whateverSound CualesquieraSound
Entremetido - intruder, busybodySound EntremetidosSound
Gentilhombre - man of gentle birthSound GentileshombresSound
Guardafuego - fire-guardSound GuardafuegosSound
Hijodalgo - squireSound Hijosdalgo Sound
Pasamano - handrail, lace-edgingsSound PasamanosSound
Pasatiempo - pastimeSound PasatiemposSound
Picaparte - latch or latchkeySound PicapartesSound
Pisaverde - beauSound PisaverdesSound
Portaestandarte - standard bearerSound PortaestandartesSound
Portafusil - musket-slingSound PortafusilesSound
Puercoespín - porcupineSound PuercosespinesSound
Quienquiera - whoeverSound QuienesquieraSound
Quitasol - parasolSound QuitasolesSound
Ricahembra - woman of gentle birthSound RicashembrasSound
Sobrecama - counterpaneSound SobrecamasSound
Sobredicho - aforesaidSound SobredichosSound
Tapaboca - slap on the mouthSound TapabocasSound
Tirabotón - button-hookSound TirabotonesSound
N.B.: When the second of the two words commences with r this letter should be doubled:
Ropa - clothesSound
guardarropa - wardrobeSound
guardarropas - wardrobesSound

In compound nouns (very rare) formed of two nouns of which the first stands as an adjective to the second, the first noun remains invariable, the second only taking the mark of the plural:

Ferrocarril - railwaySound FerrocarrilesSound
Madreselva - honeysuckleSound MadreselvasSound

In the following compound nouns formed of an adjective and a noun, the adjective remains invariable in the plural, as:

Bajamar - low tideSound Bajamares - Sound
Bajorelieve - bas-reliefSound Bajorelieves - Sound
Belladona - belladonnaSound Belladonas - Sound
Blancomanjar - blanc-mangeSound Blancomanjares - Sound
Plenamar - full tideSound Plenamares - Sound
Salvoconducto - safe conductSound Salvoconductos - Sound
Salvaguardia - safeguardSound Salvaguardias - Sound
Santa Bárbara - powder magazineSound Santa Bárbaras - Sound

In compound nouns formed of two words, the first of which has suffered the loss or change of a letter, this first component remains invariable:

Many such words are found in Spanish.
Artimaña - trickSound ArtimañasSound
Barbicano - white-bearded manSound BarbicanosSound
Barbilindo - beardless manSound BarbilindosSound
Boquirrubio - rosy-lippedSound BoquirrubiosSound
Cojitranco - lame fellow--disparaginglySound CojitrancosSound
Cuellierguido - stiff-necked manSound CuellierguidosSound
Gallipavo - turkeySound GallipavosSound
Manirroto - spendthriftSound ManirrotosSound
Marisabidilla - blue stockingSound MarisabidillasSound
Ojinegro - black-eyedSound OjinegrosSound
Ojizarco - blue-eyedSound OjizarcosSound
Patizambo - bandy-leggedSound PatizambosSound
Pechicolorado - robin redbreastSound PechicoloradosSound
Pleamar - high tideSound PleamaresSound
Tragicomedia - tragi-comedySound TragicomediasSound
Viandante - wayfarerSound ViandantesSound

The following make their plural as follows:

Bancarrota - bankruptcySound Bancarrotas - Sound
Coliflor - cauliflowerSound ColifloresSound
Dares y tomares - wranglingSound
Dimes y diretes - ifs, ands and butsSound
Don Diego de noche - four o'clocks: flowerSound Don Diegos de nocheSound
Maritornes - ill-shaped womanSound MaritornesSound
Parabién - complimentSound ParabienesSound
Vaivén - vibrationSound VaivenesSound

The following are examples of the large class of nouns (compound) formed with a verb or adverb and a plural noun and which are used for both numbers:

Azotacalles - idlerSound
Buscavidas - pryerSound
Cortaplumas - penknifeSound
Chupaflores - humming-birdSound
Destripaterrones - navvySound
Lavamanos - wash-hand standSound
Limpiabotas - boot-blackSound
Matamoros - boasterSound
Mondadientes - toothpickSound
Papahueros - ninnySound
Papamoscas - ninnySound
Papanatas - ninnySound
Paracaídas - parachuteSound
Paraguas - umbrellaSound
Pelagatos - ragamuffinSound
Pintamonas - slap-dasher or bad partnerSound
Sacacorchos - corkscrewSound
Salvavidas - life-boatsSound
Sepancuantos - slap or blowSound

The following also are used for both numbers without alteration:

Correveidile - tale-bearerSound
Hazmereir - laughing-stockSound
Metomentodo - busybodySound
Paternoster - Lord's PrayerSound
Quitaipón - ornament for headstall of draught beastsSound
Sábelotodo - presumptious manSound
Sinvergüenza - barefaced manSound


Category: Study Spanish
Search for Language Schools by Country

     
 
Web www.123TeachMe.com

login
home | about | language schools | help | site map | contact
Learn Spanish from a native Spanish-speaking tutor without leaving your home. Click here for details.