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A colorful collection of various everyday objects like a book, an apple, keys, and a toy car, representing the general idea of 'things'.

cosas

/KO-sas/

NounfA1
things?general objects
Also:stuff?informal, uncountable items,matters?affairs, situations,items?a list or collection

📝 In Action

¿Qué son esas cosas en la mesa?

A1

What are those things on the table?

Tengo muchas cosas que hacer hoy.

A1

I have a lot of things to do today.

Guarda tus cosas en la mochila.

A2

Put your things/stuff in the backpack.

Hay cosas más importantes que el dinero.

B1

There are more important things/matters than money.

Related Words

Synonyms

  • objetos (objects)
  • asuntos (matters, affairs)
  • elementos (elements, items)

Common Collocations

  • muchas cosas – many things
  • pocas cosas – few things
  • cosas de la vida – facts of life
  • por cosas del destino – by a twist of fate

Idioms & Expressions

  • La cosa está que arde. – The situation is very tense or difficult.
  • Así son las cosas. – That's just the way things are.

💡 Grammar Points

Always Plural, Always Feminine

'Cosas' refers to more than one thing and is always treated as feminine. Remember to use 'las' or 'unas' with it, like in 'las cosas' (the things).

Singular Form: 'cosa'

When talking about just one thing, you use the singular form: 'una cosa' (one thing) or 'la cosa' (the thing).

❌ Common Pitfalls

Using the Wrong Gender

Mistake: "Me gustan los cosas que compraste."

Correction: Me gustan las cosas que compraste. 'Cosa' is a feminine word, so even when it's plural ('cosas'), it stays feminine.

⭐ Usage Tips

Your Go-To Vague Word

Just like 'thing' or 'stuff' in English, 'cosas' is perfect when you don't know or can't remember the specific name of something. It's a super flexible and useful word for beginners.

Beyond Physical Objects

You can also use 'cosas' to talk about tasks, ideas, or situations. For example, 'Tengo cosas en la cabeza' means 'I have things on my mind'.

✏️ Quick Practice

💡 Quick Quiz: cosas

Question 1 of 1

Which sentence is grammatically correct?

📚 More Resources

Word Family

cosa(thing) - noun

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I use 'cosas' for people?

No, it's not polite. Using 'cosas' to refer to people can sound very rude or dehumanizing. It's better to use words like 'personas' (people) or 'gente' (people).

What's the difference between 'cosas' and 'objetos'?

'Cosas' is a very general, all-purpose word, like 'things' or 'stuff' in English. 'Objetos' is a bit more specific and formal, meaning 'objects'—usually physical items you can see and touch. In everyday conversation, 'cosas' is much more common.