unas
Lemma Details
Translation: some; a few; several
Part of Speech: determiner
Etymology: Derived from the feminine plural indefinite article 'unas', which comes from Latin 'unas', the feminine accusative plural of 'unus' meaning 'one'. This is related to English words like 'unit', 'union', and 'unique', all stemming from the same Latin root emphasizing singularity or oneness. While English uses 'some' or 'a few' without gender distinction, Spanish maintains gender agreement with 'unos' (masculine) and 'unas' (feminine).
Commonality: 90%
Guessability: 60%
Register: neutral
Example Usage
Mnemonics
- Think of 'unas' as the plural feminine version of 'a' or 'an' in English.
- Remember that 'unas' ends in 'as' which indicates feminine plural in Spanish.
- Associate 'unas' with the English word 'units' - both refer to quantities.
Related Words, Phrases & Idioms
Cultural Context
Used frequently in everyday Spanish conversation when referring to an indefinite quantity of feminine plural nouns. Unlike English, Spanish requires gender and number agreement between articles and nouns, so 'unas' is specifically used with feminine plural nouns.
Easily Confused With
Explanation: 'Unas' is the feminine plural indefinite article, while 'unos' is the masculine plural indefinite article. Both translate to 'some' in English, but are used with different gendered nouns.
Confused word:
Necesito unos libros nuevos.
I need some new books.
Notes: In Spanish, indefinite articles must match the gender and number of the noun they modify.
Mnemonic: 'Unas' ends in 'as' for feminine nouns, 'unos' ends in 'os' for masculine nouns.
Explanation: 'Unas' is the feminine plural indefinite article meaning 'some', while 'una' is the feminine singular indefinite article meaning 'a' or 'one'.
Confused word:
Compré una revista.
I bought a magazine.
Notes: The difference is in number (plural vs. singular), while both are feminine gender.
Mnemonic: 'Unas' has an 's' at the end for plural, 'una' has no 's' for singular.
Explanation: 'Unas' is the indefinite article meaning 'some', while 'las' is the definite article meaning 'the'. 'Unas' refers to an indefinite quantity, while 'las' refers to specific items.
This word:
Quiero unas galletas.
I want some cookies.
Confused word:
Quiero las galletas que compraste ayer.
I want the cookies that you bought yesterday.
Notes: The difference is in definiteness - 'unas' for unspecified items, 'las' for specific items.
Mnemonic: Think of 'unas' as 'some' (indefinite) and 'las' as 'the' (definite).