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

Aguaderas - frames to carry water

Albricias - reward for good news--also used as interjection: joy! joy!!

Andas - stretcher, also frame for carrying an image

Calendas - calends

Calzoncillos - drawers

Carnestolendas - carnival

Celos - jealously--"Celo"--zeal

Hacer cosquillas - to tickle

Despabilladoras - snuffers

Enaguas - skirt

Fauces - gullet

Modales - manners

Mientes--also Mente - the mind

Parrillas - gridiron

Puches - sort of fritters

Tenazas - tongs, pincers

Tijeras - scissors

Tinieblas - utter darkness

Víveres - victuals

Zaragüelles - kind of breeches
Note the following:
Á ciegas - blindly
Á ojos cegarritas - blindly
Á horcajadas - astride
Á hurtadillas - on the sly
Á sabiendas - knowingly
De puntillas - on tiptoe
Á tientas - groping
De bóbilis bóbilis - without toil
De bruces - on all fours
En ayunas - fasting
En volandas - in the air, off one's feet
The following plurals, besides the ordinary, have also a different meaning from the singular
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 |
The elements in A are invariable except:
Un bullebulle - busybody![]() |
Unos bullebulles![]() |
Un quehacer - occupation![]() |
Unos quehaceres![]() |
Pasapasa - sleight of hand![]() |
Pasapasas - sleight of hand tricks![]() |
The elements in B take the mark of the plural:
Ropa - clothes

guardarropa - wardrobe

guardarropas - wardrobes

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 - railway![]() |
Ferrocarriles![]() |
Madreselva - honeysuckle![]() |
Madreselvas![]() |
In the following compound nouns formed of an adjective and a noun, the adjective remains invariable in the plural, as:
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:
The following make their plural as follows:
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 - idler
Buscavidas - pryer
Cortaplumas - penknife
Chupaflores - humming-bird
Destripaterrones - navvy
Lavamanos - wash-hand stand
Limpiabotas - boot-black
Matamoros - boaster
Mondadientes - toothpick
Papahueros - ninny
Papamoscas - ninny
Papanatas - ninny
Paracaídas - parachute
Paraguas - umbrella
Pelagatos - ragamuffin
Pintamonas - slap-dasher or bad partner
Sacacorchos - corkscrew
Salvavidas - life-boats
Sepancuantos - slap or blow
The following also are used for both numbers without alteration:
Correveidile - tale-bearer
Hazmereir - laughing-stock
Metomentodo - busybody
Paternoster - Lord's Prayer
Quitaipón - ornament for headstall of draught beasts
Sábelotodo - presumptious man
Sinvergüenza - barefaced man
Category: Study Spanish
