uno
/ˈuno/
In Spanish, uno is the way to say the cardinal number one.
The word uno is used as the number one. It can also function as an impersonal pronoun meaning 'one', 'someone' or 'a person'. In these impersonal contexts, uno is used for masculine or neutral situations, while una is used for feminine contexts.
Meaning: cardinal number 1 (num)
Which one should you use?
When 'one' functions as an indefinite article (meaning 'a' or 'an') before a noun, you must use un or una. In contrast, use uno when it stands alone as a pronoun.
Related words
How does it change in a sentence?
The feminine form of the indefinite article/number is una.
How do you pronounce it?
/ˈuno/
What mistakes should you avoid?
English speakers often mistakenly say uno instead of un when it precedes a masculine noun (e.g., saying uno libro instead of un libro).
Did you know?
- In a game of Uno, the card game's name is the Spanish word for 'one' because players must shout it when they have only one card left.
- The Spanish word uno is a distant relative of the Russian word один ('odin') because both share a root from the Proto-Indo-European language.
- While uno means 'one', using it as an impersonal pronoun can make a sentence sound more philosophical or detached, similar to the English 'one must do their best'.
Examples in context
- Yo me comí uno.I ate one.This sentence is useful for practicing the use of uno as a pronoun.Tatoeba #4505643 by cueyayotl, translation #2872907 by Amastan
- Es uno de esos.It's one of those.This sentence is useful for practicing the use of uno in a phrase meaning 'one of'.Tatoeba #4779045 by alegarvid, translation #3168214 by CK
- Una vez vi uno.I saw one once.Tatoeba #11737236 by Seael, translation #2406083 by CK
- Uno de mis amigos vive en España.One of my friends lives in Spain.
- Un libro interesante.One interesting book.
- Una amiga muy inteligente.One very intelligent friend [female].
- ¿Tienes uno?Do you have one?
- Tengo un perro.I have one dog.
- Me gustaría una cerveza, por favor.I would like one beer, please.
- Uno de los aspectos más interesantes de aprender español es descubrir cómo se utiliza el número 'uno' en situaciones diferentes.One of the most interesting aspects of learning Spanish is discovering how the number 'one' is used in different situations.
- 960 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Two people are at a fruit market.
- Javier¿Cuántos limones quieres?How many lemons do you want?
- LucíaSolo quiero uno, por favor.I only want one, please.
- JavierMuy bien, aquí tienes uno.Very well, here is one.
- LucíaGracias, Javier.Thanks, Javier.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “one” translations and entries uno, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries uno, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
