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cosas

KO-sasˈko.sas

“cosas” means “things” in Spanish (general objects).

things

Also: stuff, matters, items
NounfA1
A colorful collection of various everyday objects like a book, an apple, keys, and a toy car, representing the general idea of 'things'.

📝 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.

Word Connections

Synonyms

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.

Translate to Spanish

Words that translate to "cosas" in Spanish:

items→matters→things→

✏️ Quick Practice

Quick Quiz: cosas

Question 1 of 1

Which sentence is grammatically correct?

📚 More Resources

👥 Word Family▼
🎵 Rhymes▼
rosasmariposashermosas
📚 Etymology▼

Comes from the Latin word 'causa', which originally meant 'cause' or 'legal case'. Over time, its meaning broadened to refer to any 'matter', 'affair', and eventually, any 'thing'.

First recorded: Used in its modern sense since the early days of Spanish.

Cognates (Related words)

Portuguese: coisaItalian: cosaFrench: chose

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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.