los apuntes
/los apuntes/from spelling rules
los apuntes is the Spanish phrase for "the notes" in the sense of the written notes a student takes during a class or lecture.
This phrase is used specifically to refer to the collection of notes a student compiles during a lecture or a study session. If you want to describe the act of taking notes in a classroom setting, the common expression to use is tomar apuntes.
What does it mean word for word?
apuntes is the plural form of apunte, which comes from the verb apuntar, meaning to note down or to point.
Which one should you use?
While las notas can also be translated as "the notes", los apuntes is the more precise term for the handwritten or typed notes a student makes while studying or listening to a lecture. los apuntes is the plural form, whereas el apunte refers to a single note or a single piece of information.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In certain parts of Mexico, the word garabatos may be used to refer to rough or messy notes.
How does it change in a sentence?
The singular form is el apunte, used when referring to a single note or a single piece of information.
How do you pronounce it?
/los apuntes/
Did you know?
- The verb used to create los apuntes, apuntar, carries a double meaning in Spanish: it can mean to take a note or to aim a weapon at a target.
- In many Spanish-speaking universities, there is a strong culture of pasar los apuntes, where students share their notes with classmates who missed a lecture to ensure everyone has the same information.
- While los apuntes refers to a student's study notes, if you use the word apunte in a financial context, it can refer to a specific entry in a ledger or an accounting record.
Examples in context
- Los apuntes de clase son fundamentales para el aprendizaje.Class notes are fundamental for learning.
- ¿Me puedes prestar tus apuntes?Can you lend me your notes?
- Olvidé mis chuletas en casa.I forgot my cheat sheets at home.
- Mira mis garabatos en estos apuntes.Look at my doodles in these notes.
- Necesito revisar los apuntes para el examen.I need to review the notes for the exam.
- ¿Me puedes prestar los apuntes de la clase?Can you lend me the notes from the class?
- Tengo los apuntes muy desordenados.My notes are very messy.
Example conversation
Javier and Elena are studying in the university library.
- JavierElena, ¿tienes los apuntes de historia?Elena, do you have the history notes?
- ElenaSí, los tengo en mi cuaderno.Yes, I have them in my notebook.
- JavierPerfecto, ¿puedes compartirlos conmigo?Perfect, can you share them with me?
- ElenaClaro, te los paso ahora mismo.Sure, I'll pass them to you right now.
Sources
- IPA marked “from spelling rules” is derived from standard Spanish spelling, where Wiktionary gives none.
