📝 In Action
Los bebés necesitan dormir muchas horas al día.
A1Babies need to sleep many hours a day.
Hay dos bebés en la cuna.
A1There are two babies in the crib.
La guardería tiene diez bebés nuevos este mes.
A2The daycare has ten new infants this month.
💡 Grammar Points
Making it Plural
Since the singular word 'bebé' ends in a vowel, you just add an 's' to make it plural: bebé -> bebés.
Gender Note
Although 'bebé' can refer to a boy or a girl, when using the plural form 'bebés' generically (like 'all babies'), it is commonly paired with the masculine articles 'los' or 'unos'.
❌ Common Pitfalls
Misplaced Accent
Mistake: "Using 'bebes' (no accent) when meaning the plural noun."
Correction: The accent on the final 'é' is required for the noun 'bebé' and its plural 'bebés' to distinguish it from the verb form 'bebes' (you drink).
⭐ Usage Tips
Pronunciation
The stress falls on the last syllable: be-BÉS. The accent mark helps you remember this.
✏️ Quick Practice
💡 Quick Quiz: bebés
Question 1 of 3
Which sentence correctly uses the noun form of 'bebés'?
📚 More Resources
Frequently Asked Questions
Why do 'bebés' (noun) and 'bebés' (verb) look and sound the same?
They are homonyms, meaning they are two different words with different origins that happen to sound identical in Spanish. The noun 'bebés' (babies) has a written accent (é) to show where the stress falls, while the verb 'bebés' (you drink) does not need one because the stress naturally falls there.
Is 'bebés' (babies) masculine or feminine?
The singular word 'bebé' is often treated as masculine ('el bebé') regardless of the child's gender unless you specify 'la bebé' for a girl. The plural form 'los bebés' is typically used for a group of any gender.