You’re chatting with your language exchange partner, trying to say "People are strange," and you pause. You know the word for people is gente. It refers to more than one person, so it must be plural, right?
You try: "La gente son raras."
Your partner gently corrects you: "La gente es rara."
Wait, what? Es? The singular form? How can a word that means "people" be singular? If this little grammar gremlin has been tripping you up, you're in the right place. Let's unravel the mystery of la gente once and for all.
The Short and Sweet Answer
Let's get straight to the point: In Spanish, la gente is a singular noun.
Yes, you read that right. Even though it refers to a group of individuals, it's treated as a single, collective unit. Think of it like the word "the team" in English. You say, "The team is playing well," not "The team are playing well."
La gente works the same way. It's a collective noun.
Collective Noun: A word that refers to a group of people, animals, or things as a single entity. Other examples in Spanish include la familia (the family), el equipo (the team), and la clase (the class).
The Golden Rule: Singular Verb, Singular Noun
Because la gente is singular, it must be paired with a singular verb. You'll use the same verb conjugation you would for él, ella, or usted.
Let's look at some examples to see this in action.
Correct Usage:
La gente **está** esperando.(The people are waiting.)La gente en México **es** muy amable.(The people in Mexico are very kind.)Toda la gente **quiere** ser feliz.(All the people want to be happy.)
Common Mistakes:
La gente ~~son~~ inteligentes.❌La gente ~~están~~ bailando.❌
Easy Memory Trick
Think of la gente as "the crowd" or "the public." You would say "The crowd is loud," not "The crowd are loud." This simple switch in thinking can help you remember the rule!
Don't Forget the Adjectives!
This is where it gets a little trickier. Not only does the verb need to be singular, but any adjectives describing la gente must also be singular and feminine (because gente is a feminine noun).
Let's break it down:
- Noun:
la gente(singular, feminine) - Verb: Must be singular (
es,está,tiene,quiere, etc.) - Adjective: Must be singular and feminine (
amable,cansada,alta,inteligente)
Check out these sentences:
La gente de la ciudad está muy **ocupada**.(The city people are very busy.)- We use
ocupada(feminine, singular), notocupados.
- We use
Mucha gente es **generosa**.(A lot of people are generous.)- We use
generosa(feminine, singular), notgenerosos.
- We use
Time to test your knowledge!
Which sentence is grammatically correct?
What About "Las Gentes"? Does it Exist?
You might occasionally stumble upon the plural form las gentes. So, what's the deal with that?
Las gentes is grammatically correct, but it's not used to mean "people" in a general sense. It's a more literary or specific term used to refer to different groups of people, populations, or cultures.
Las gentes del mundo tienen costumbres diversas.(The peoples of the world have diverse customs.)
For everyday conversation, you'll almost always want to use la gente. Using las gentes can sound a bit old-fashioned or overly formal. When in doubt, stick with the singular!
You've Got This!
Mastering collective nouns like la gente is a huge step toward sounding more natural in Spanish. It’s one of those little details that separates beginners from intermediate speakers.
The key takeaway is simple: Treat la gente as a single, feminine unit.
- Use a singular verb.
- Use a singular, feminine adjective.
Keep practicing, and soon, saying "la gente es..." will feel completely natural.
Want to master more tricky grammar rules like this one? The InkLingo app has interactive lessons and real-world exercises designed to turn these confusing concepts into second nature. Give it a try and watch your fluency soar!