breve
/breh-veh/
brief
As an adjective, breve means brief, like the quick, short hop of a rabbit.
breve(adjective)
brief
?short in time or length
,short
?concise
quick
?referring to a pause or moment
📝 In Action
Hagamos una pausa breve antes de continuar.
A1Let's take a brief pause before continuing.
Su discurso fue muy breve y directo.
A2His speech was very short and direct.
En breve, te explico el plan.
B1In short, I'll explain the plan to you. (Common phrase: 'en breve')
💡 Grammar Points
Agreement Rule
Unlike many adjectives, 'breve' doesn't change between masculine and feminine nouns (e.g., 'un momento breve' and 'una carta breve'). It only changes for plural: 'breves'.
❌ Common Pitfalls
Confusing Time vs. Physical Length
Mistake: "Usar 'breve' para describir la longitud física de un objeto (e.g., *La mesa es breve*)."
Correction: Use 'corto' for physical length (e.g., 'La mesa es corta') and reserve 'breve' mostly for time or abstract length (like a speech or summary).
⭐ Usage Tips
Using 'En breve'
The phrase 'en breve' is extremely common and means 'soon' or 'shortly'. It's a quick way to promise something will happen quickly.
As a noun, breve refers to a Papal brief, a formal sealed document.
breve(noun)
Papal brief
?A formal letter or document from the Pope
summary
?A concise written statement (less common usage)
📝 In Action
El Vaticano publicó un breve para aclarar el dogma.
C1The Vatican published a Papal brief to clarify the dogma.
El juez solicitó un breve sobre el caso.
B2The judge requested a summary/brief on the case.
💡 Grammar Points
Masculine Noun
When referring to the religious document, 'breve' is a masculine noun ('el breve').
⭐ Usage Tips
Specialized Use
Unless you are reading historical documents, religious texts, or highly formal legal summaries, you will almost always use 'breve' as an adjective, not a noun.
✏️ Quick Practice
💡 Quick Quiz: breve
Question 1 of 2
Which sentence correctly uses 'breve'?
📚 More Resources
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the difference between 'breve' and 'corto'?
'Breve' almost always refers to time (a brief moment, a short meeting) or conciseness (a short summary). 'Corto' usually refers to physical length (a short rope, a short skirt) or height, although it can occasionally refer to time as well.
Does 'breve' change depending on if the noun is masculine or feminine?
No. 'Breve' is an easy adjective because it is the same for masculine and feminine singular nouns (e.g., 'el momento breve' and 'la pausa breve'). It only changes to 'breves' in the plural.