bancos

BAHN-kohs

nounmA1

banks?financial institutions

Also:banking establishments?formal reference

📝 In Action

Todos los bancos están cerrados hoy por el feriado.

All the banks are closed today due to the holiday.

Necesito visitar dos bancos diferentes esta semana.

I need to visit two different banks this week.

Los bancos centrales regulan la política monetaria del país.

Central banks regulate the country's monetary policy.

Word Connections

Synonyms

entidades financieras (financial entities)

Common Collocations

cajeros de los bancos – bank tellers / ATMs of the banks
cuentas de bancos – bank accounts

💡 Grammar Points

Masculine Plural

Since 'banco' (bank) ends in a vowel, you form the plural by adding '-s'. It must always be used with masculine plural words (like 'los' or 'unos').

❌ Common Pitfalls

Confusing Bank and Account

Mistake: "Using 'bancos' when you mean 'cuentas' (accounts)."

Correction: A bank (banco) is the institution; an account (cuenta) is where your money is kept inside the bank.

⭐ Usage Tips

Financial Context

When talking about money, loans, or savings, 'bancos' almost always refers to financial institutions.

✏️ Quick Practice

💡 Quick Quiz: bancos

Question 1 of 2

Which sentence uses 'bancos' in the context of seating?

📚 More Resources

Word Family

banco(bank; bench) - noun

banquero(banker) - noun

bancario(banking (adj.)) - adjective

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I know if 'bancos' means 'banks' or 'benches'?

You rely entirely on the surrounding words. If you see words related to finance (money, loans, credit cards), it means 'banks.' If you see words related to parks, sitting, or furniture, it means 'benches' or 'stools.' Spanish speakers keep these two meanings separate based on context.

Can 'bancos' refer to a school of fish?

Yes, 'un banco de peces' is the correct term for a 'school of fish' or a 'shoal.' This meaning is less common in everyday conversation than the other two, but it is grammatically correct.