las
/las/
In Spanish, las is the plural definite article for the English word 'the'.
las is used to refer to specific feminine plural nouns.
Which one should you use?
Use las specifically for feminine plural nouns. It is not used for masculine plural nouns, which use los, nor is it used for feminine singular nouns, which use la.
How does it change in a sentence?
The article las must agree in both gender (feminine) and number (plural) with the noun it modifies.
How do you pronounce it?
/las/
What mistakes should you avoid?
Avoid the common error of using las for all plural nouns. You must ensure the article matches the specific gender of the noun you are modifying.
Did you know?
- When telling time, Spanish uses las before the hour because the hidden noun being referred to is horas (hours), which is feminine and plural.
- In Spanish, las can be used as a direct object pronoun to replace 'them' when referring to feminine nouns, meaning it functions as both an article and a pronoun.
- While las is the plural of la, in some Caribbean dialects, speakers may drop the final 's' in las, making it sound like la even when the noun is plural.
Examples in context
- Es fácil perder la noción del tiempo cuando estás en Las Vegas.It's easy to lose track of time when you are in Las Vegas.This sentence shows the use of las within a proper noun, Las Vegas.Tatoeba #1704147 by teskmon, translation #29745 by CK
- Dicen que París es la Ciudad de la Luz, pero puede que Las Vegas se merezca más ese título.They call Paris the City of Lights, but Las Vegas may be more deserving of that title.Tatoeba #634740 by Shishir, translation #629812 by darinmex
- Las mujeres son inteligentes.The women are intelligent.
- Este es el libro que las profesoras recomendaron.This is the book that the teachers recommended.
- ¡Mira las flores bonitas!Look at the beautiful flowers!
- ¿Dónde están las chicas?Where are the girls?
- las floresThe flowers
- Las llaves están sobre la mesa.The keys are on the table.
Example conversation
María and Javier are at home looking for something.
- María¿Has visto las llaves, Javier?Have you seen the keys, Javier?
- JavierNo, no veo las llaves por ninguna parte.No, I don't see the keys anywhere.
- María¡Ah! Las llaves están en tu chaqueta.Ah! The keys are in your jacket.
- JavierEs verdad, gracias, María.It's true, thanks, María.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry las, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
