brillantes
“brillantes” means “bright” in Spanish. It has 2 different meanings depending on context:
bright, brilliant
Also: shiny, sparkling
📝 In Action
Las luces de la ciudad son muy brillantes.
A2The city lights are very bright.
Tuvieron ideas brillantes para resolver el problema.
B1They had brilliant ideas to solve the problem.
Los colores de sus cuadros eran increíblemente brillantes.
B2The colors in his paintings were incredibly vibrant (bright).
diamonds
Also: jewels
📝 In Action
El collar estaba adornado con pequeños brillantes.
B1The necklace was adorned with small diamonds.
El joyero mostró los brillantes más grandes que tenía.
B2The jeweler showed the largest jewels (diamonds) he had.
✏️ Quick Practice
Quick Quiz: brillantes
Question 1 of 2
Which sentence uses 'brillantes' as a noun (referring to jewels)?
📚 More Resources
👥 Word Family▼
🎵 Rhymes▼
📚 Etymology▼
Comes from the verb 'brillar' (to shine), which itself evolved from the Vulgar Latin verb *beryllare*, meaning 'to gleam like a beryl' (a type of gemstone).
First recorded: 15th century
Cognates (Related words)
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Frequently Asked Questions
Is 'brillantes' always plural?
Yes, 'brillantes' is the plural form of the word 'brillante.' If you are talking about just one shining object or one diamond, you would use the singular form: 'brillante'.
What is the difference between 'brillantes' and 'diamantes'?
Both can refer to diamonds. 'Diamantes' is the general word for the stone. 'Brillantes' specifically emphasizes the cut (the 'brilliant cut') and the sparkle of the stone, though it is often used interchangeably with 'diamantes' in jewelry contexts.