ángeles
“ángeles” means “angels” in Spanish. It has 2 different meanings depending on context:
angels
Also: heavenly messengers
📝 In Action
Dicen que los ángeles tienen alas grandes y blancas.
A2They say that angels have big, white wings.
En la iglesia, cantamos sobre los ángeles de la guarda.
A2In the church, we sing about guardian angels.
angels
Also: darlings, saints
📝 In Action
Mis vecinos me ayudaron a mudarme. ¡Son unos ángeles!
B1My neighbors helped me move. They are angels!
Tranquila, tus hijos se portan muy bien; son unos ángeles.
A2Don't worry, your children behave very well; they are little angels.
✏️ Quick Practice
Quick Quiz: ángeles
Question 1 of 1
Which sentence uses 'ángeles' in its figurative meaning, referring to good people?
📚 More Resources
👥 Word Family▼
📚 Etymology▼
The word comes directly from the Latin 'angelus', which itself was borrowed from the ancient Greek word 'ángelos' meaning 'messenger' or 'envoy'.
First recorded: Pre-10th century in early Romance languages.
Cognates (Related words)
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Frequently Asked Questions
¿Por qué 'ángeles' es una palabra masculina (los ángeles) si se refiere a seres que no tienen género?
'Ángeles' is masculine (plural of 'el ángel') because of its grammatical history, deriving from a masculine Latin word. Even when referring to a group of female figures, or the concept in general, the word itself takes masculine articles (los) and adjectives.
How do you form the singular of 'ángeles'?
The singular form is 'ángel' (el ángel). Notice the written accent mark moves in the singular form: 'Ángeles' (stress on the first syllable) vs. 'Ángel' (stress also on the first syllable, but the accent is needed to break the normal stress pattern).