Three diverse adult figures, including a man and two women, standing shoulder-to-shoulder and smiling warmly, symbolizing a cohesive group of citizens.

ciudadanos

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nounmA2

citizens?legal or political context

Also:residents?people living in a place,inhabitants?general population

📝 In Action

Los ciudadanos tienen derecho a votar.

The citizens have the right to vote.

La junta informó a todos los ciudadanos sobre el nuevo proyecto.

The board informed all residents about the new project.

Necesitamos la participación de los ciudadanos para mejorar la ciudad.

We need the participation of the inhabitants to improve the city.

Word Connections

Synonyms

habitantes (inhabitants)
residentes (residents)
pobladores (settlers/population)

Common Collocations

derechos de los ciudadanos – citizens' rights
participación ciudadana – citizen participation

💡 Grammar Points

Gender Rule (Mixed Groups)

Even if a group of citizens includes women, the masculine plural form 'ciudadanos' is used to refer to the entire group generally.

❌ Common Pitfalls

Confusing Citizenship vs. City

Mistake: "Thinking 'ciudadanos' just means 'people of the city.'"

Correction: While related to 'city' (ciudad), 'ciudadanos' usually refers to legal citizens of a country, state, or municipality, often implying rights and duties.

⭐ Usage Tips

Singular vs. Plural

Remember that 'ciudadanos' is plural (more than one person). The singular form is 'ciudadano' (one male citizen) or 'ciudadana' (one female citizen).

✏️ Quick Practice

💡 Quick Quiz: ciudadanos

Question 1 of 2

Which singular word would you use to refer to one female citizen?

📚 More Resources

Word Family

ciudadano(citizen (singular, male)) - noun

ciudadana(citizen (singular, female)) - noun

ciudadanía(citizenship) - noun

ciudad(city) - noun

Frequently Asked Questions

How is 'ciudadanos' different from 'gente'?

'Gente' is a general term meaning 'people' or 'crowd' (and is always singular in Spanish). 'Ciudadanos' specifically refers to people who hold the legal status of 'citizen' or are the formal inhabitants of a place. It's much more specific and often used in civic or political language.