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casos

KAH-sohs/ˈkasos/

“casos” means “situations” in Spanish. It has 2 different meanings depending on context:

situations, instances

Also: matters
NounmA1
A colorful illustration segmented into three distinct panels, showing three different everyday situations: a person fishing by a pond, a child playing fetch with a dog, and a person reading a book indoors.

📝 In Action

En la mayoría de los casos, el tren llega puntual.

A2

In most cases (situations), the train arrives on time.

Hay pocos casos en que esto sea verdad.

B1

There are few instances where this is true.

Word Connections

Synonyms

Common Collocations

  • en todo caso – in any case / anyway
  • por si acaso – just in case
  • hacer caso (a alguien) – to pay attention (to someone)

cases

Also: examples, subjects
NounmB2formal
A simple illustration of a large, wooden judge's gavel resting next to a thick, closed red law book on a polished wooden desk.

📝 In Action

Los abogados están manejando varios casos de fraude.

B2

The lawyers are handling several cases of fraud.

El hospital reportó cinco nuevos casos de la enfermedad.

B2

The hospital reported five new cases of the illness.

Word Connections

Synonyms

Common Collocations

  • casos clínicos – clinical cases
  • estudio de casos – case study

Translate to Spanish

✏️ Quick Practice

Quick Quiz: casos

Question 1 of 2

Which phrase correctly uses 'casos' to mean 'just in case'?

📚 More Resources

👥 Word Family▼
caso(case, instance) — Noun
casualmente(casually, by chance) — Adverb
🎵 Rhymes▼
📚 Etymology▼

The word 'caso' comes from the Latin word *casus*, meaning 'a fall' or 'an event.' This is why it refers to something that happens or occurs (an event that 'falls' into existence).

First recorded: Around the 13th century in Spanish

Cognates (Related words)

Italian: casoFrench: cas

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Frequently Asked Questions

¿Cuál es la diferencia entre 'caso' y 'cosa'?

'Caso' usually means a situation, an event, a legal matter, or an instance. 'Cosa' means a physical object or 'stuff' in general. For example, 'El caso es complicado' (The situation is complicated), but 'Dame esa cosa' (Give me that thing).

Why is 'hacer caso' confusing?

Literally, it means 'to make a case,' but its actual meaning is 'to pay attention to' or 'to heed.' If someone says 'No me haces caso,' they mean 'You aren't listening to me!'