de los nuestros
Lemma Details
Translation: one of us; one of our own; from our group
Part of Speech: phrase
Etymology: This Spanish phrase combines the preposition 'de' (from, of), the definite article 'los' (the, masculine plural), and the possessive adjective 'nuestros' (our, masculine plural). The construction follows the common Spanish pattern of using 'de' to indicate belonging or origin, similar to the English possessive 's or the phrase 'of the'.
Commonality: 70%
Guessability: 60%
Register: neutral
Example Usage
Juan es de los nuestros, puedes confiar en él.
Juan is one of us, you can trust him.
Ella no es de los nuestros, pero la respetamos igualmente.
She is not one of our own, but we respect her equally.
¿Es él de los nuestros o trabaja para la competencia?
Is he one of us or does he work for the competition?
Mnemonics
- Think of 'nuestros' as 'ours' with the 'nu' sounding like 'new' - these are our new members.
- Visualize a circle of people with one person being pointed at: 'de los nuestros' (one of our circle).
Related Words, Phrases & Idioms
Synonyms
Antonyms
Cultural Context
This phrase is commonly used to express inclusion and belonging in Spanish-speaking cultures, where group identity and social connections are highly valued. It can refer to family, friends, colleagues, or any social group with which the speaker identifies. The phrase often carries connotations of trust, loyalty, and shared values.
Easily Confused With
Explanation: While 'de los nuestros' means 'one of us/our own', 'de los vuestros' means 'one of yours/your own'. The difference is in the possessive adjective: 'nuestros' (our) vs 'vuestros' (your, plural).
Confused word:
Él es de los vuestros, siempre os apoya.
He is one of yours, he always supports you all.
Notes: In Latin American Spanish, 'vuestros' is rarely used, with 'suyos' or 'de ustedes' being more common.
Mnemonic: NUEstros contains 'NU' like 'New to US' (our group), while VUEstros contains 'VUE' like 'View' (looking at your group from outside).
Explanation: While 'de los nuestros' refers to people ('one of us'), 'de lo nuestro' refers to things or concepts that belong to us ('of what is ours'). Note the singular 'lo' versus plural 'los'.
This word:
María es de los nuestros, puedes hablar libremente.
Maria is one of us, you can speak freely.
Confused word:
Este dinero es de lo nuestro, podemos usarlo.
This money is from what is ours, we can use it.
Notes: 'De lo nuestro' is often used when referring to shared resources or property.
Mnemonic: 'Los' refers to people (plural), while 'lo' refers to concepts or things (singular, neuter).