tres amigos
/tɾes amiɡos/from spelling rules
The phrase 'three friends' in Spanish is tres amigos.
The phrase refers to a group consisting of three people who are friends with each other.
What does it mean word for word?
tres is the number three and remains the same regardless of the gender of the noun it modifies, while amigos is the plural form of amigo (friend) and carries the masculine plural gender.
Which one should you use?
Use tres amigos when referring to a group of three male friends or a mixed group of both men and women. If the group consists entirely of women, use the feminine form tres amigas.
Is it said differently in some regions?
Tres compas is used in some regions, particularly Latin America.
How does it change in a sentence?
The number tres does not change based on gender. The gender of the noun amigos determines the gender of the phrase: use the masculine amigos for men or mixed groups and the feminine amigas for groups of only women.
How do you pronounce it?
/tɾes amiɡos/
Did you know?
- While amigo is the general term, some Spanish speakers use cuate to describe a close friend. This word comes from the Nahuatl word for 'twin', implying a friendship so close the two people are like identical twins.
- The word compas is a shortened version of compadres, which literally means 'co-fathers'. In many Spanish-speaking cultures, this term describes a deep bond of kinship created when one becomes a godfather to another's child.
- In Spanish, referring to a group as amigos often implies a deeper level of intimacy and trust than the English 'friends'. For casual acquaintances, speakers might use terms like conocidos to avoid overstating the relationship.
Examples in context
- Tengo tres amigos llamados Tom.I have three friends named Tom.This sentence is useful for mentioning the names of the people in the group of tres amigos.Tatoeba #12852496 by User87977, translation #8357874 by CK
- Tengo tres amigos que hablan francés.I have three friends who can speak French.This sentence is useful for describing a characteristic of the tres amigos.Tatoeba #2454528 by hayastan, translation #2451255 by CK
- En el mundo tienes tres amigos: el valor, la comprensión y la sabiduría.You have three friends in this world: Courage, comprehension, and wisdom.This sentence is useful for an allegorical use of the phrase tres amigos.Tatoeba #4984242 by Shishir, translation #9733238 by DJ_Saidez
- Mis tres amigos y yo vamos a salir a cenar esta noche.My three friends and I are going out for dinner tonight.
- El trío de amigos ganó el concurso de talentos.The trio of friends won the talent contest.
- Los tres compas siempre se divierten juntos.The three friends always have fun together.
- 3 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Javier and Lucía are looking at an old photo.
- Javier¿Quiénes son ellos en esta foto?Who are they in this photo?
- LucíaSomos tres amigos de la escuela.We are three friends from school.
- JavierSe ven muy felices juntos.You look very happy together.
- LucíaSí, somos tres amigos muy unidos.Yes, we are three very close friends.
Sources
- IPA marked “from spelling rules” is derived from standard Spanish spelling, where Wiktionary gives none.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
