Inklingo
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cortos

/KOR-tohs/

short

A high quality simple colorful storybook illustration showing two pencils side-by-side, one being significantly shorter than the other, illustrating the concept of short length.

Cuando hablamos de longitud o altura, "cortos" significa que algo es de poca extensión.

cortos(Adjective)

mA1

short

?

length or height

,

brief

?

time or duration

Also:

small

?

referring to resources, like money

,

low

?

referring to height or stature

📝 In Action

Los días de invierno son muy cortos en el norte.

A1

Winter days are very short in the north.

Necesitas unos cables más cortos para que quepan.

A2

You need some shorter cables so they fit.

Se quedó corto de dinero para pagar la cuenta.

B1

He fell short of money to pay the bill.

Word Connections

Synonyms

  • breves (brief)
  • pequeños (small)

Antonyms

  • largos (long)
  • extensos (extensive)

Common Collocations

  • plazos cortos – short deadlines/terms
  • recuerdos cortos – short memories

Idioms & Expressions

  • quedarse cortos – to fall short (of expectations or resources)

💡 Grammar Points

Matching the Noun

Since 'cortos' is a describing word (adjective), it must match the noun it describes. This form is used for masculine, plural things, like 'pantalones' (pants) or 'momentos' (moments).

The Four Forms

The base word is 'corto' (masculine singular). The other forms are 'corta' (feminine singular), 'cortas' (feminine plural), and 'cortos' (masculine plural).

⭐ Usage Tips

Time vs. Length

It works for both physical length ('the rope is short') and time duration ('the meeting was short'), just like in English.

A high quality simple colorful storybook illustration of a simple pair of blue denim shorts, folded neatly and lying flat, representing the article of clothing.

"Cortos" también se utiliza para referirse a la prenda de vestir que cubre la cintura hasta los muslos.

cortos(Noun)

mA2

shorts

?

clothing

Also:

short pants

?

clothing

📝 In Action

Hace calor, así que todos llevamos cortos.

A2

It's hot, so we are all wearing shorts.

Mis cortos favoritos están en la lavadora.

A2

My favorite shorts are in the washing machine.

Word Connections

Synonyms

  • pantalones cortos (short trousers)

Common Collocations

  • un par de cortos – a pair of shorts

✏️ Quick Practice

💡 Quick Quiz: cortos

Question 1 of 2

Which sentence correctly uses 'cortos' as the masculine plural adjective?

📚 More Resources

Frequently Asked Questions

Why is 'cortos' sometimes used as a noun for clothing?

This is a form of linguistic shortcut! We take the adjective that describes the item ('pantalones cortos' or 'short pants') and drop the noun, leaving just the descriptive word 'cortos' to mean the item itself.

How do I know whether to use 'corto', 'corta', 'cortos', or 'cortas'?

Look at the noun you are describing. If the noun is masculine (like 'libro') and there is more than one, use 'cortos'. If the noun is feminine (like 'camisa') and there is more than one, use 'cortas'.