autos

AH-tohs

nounmA1

cars?motor vehicles,automobiles?formal term for car

Also:vehicles?general term

📝 In Action

Necesitamos dos autos para llevar a todas las personas a la fiesta.

We need two cars to take everyone to the party.

Los autos modernos tienen mucha tecnología.

Modern automobiles have a lot of technology.

Word Connections

Synonyms

coches (cars (common in Spain))
vehículos (vehicles)

Common Collocations

alquiler de autos – car rental
autos usados – used cars

💡 Grammar Points

Gender Reminder

Even though 'auto' ends in -o, it is the shortened form of 'automóvil', which is masculine. Always use masculine articles: 'los autos'.

❌ Common Pitfalls

Regional Confusion

Mistake: "Using 'autos' when speaking to someone from Spain who might primarily use 'coches'."

Correction: While 'autos' is understood everywhere, try using 'coche' if you are communicating mainly with people from Spain, or stick to 'auto' for Latin America.

⭐ Usage Tips

Shortening Power

The word 'auto' is a common clipping of 'automóvil'. It’s an easy, casual word to use for any type of personal car.

✏️ Quick Practice

💡 Quick Quiz: autos

Question 1 of 1

Which sentence uses 'autos' in its legal context?

📚 More Resources

Word Family

auto(car; self-) - noun

automóvil(automobile) - noun

autobus(bus) - noun

Frequently Asked Questions

Is 'autos' the same as 'coches'?

Yes, they both mean 'cars.' 'Autos' is widely preferred in most of Latin America, while 'coche' is the standard term used in Spain.

Does 'autos' have a singular form?

Yes, the singular form for 'cars' is 'auto'. The legal meaning, however, is almost always used in the plural form 'autos'.