diferente
/dee-feh-REN-teh/
different
The banana is diferente (different) from the apples.
📝 In Action
Mi coche es diferente al tuyo.
A1My car is different from yours.
Ella tiene una perspectiva muy diferente.
A2She has a very different perspective.
Este sabor es diferente, pero me gusta.
B1This flavor is different, but I like it.
💡 Grammar Points
One Form for Masculine & Feminine
Diferente is easy to use because it doesn't change for masculine or feminine things. It's el coche diferente (the different car) and la casa diferente (the different house). You only add an '-s' for plural things: casas diferentes.
Connecting with 'a' or 'de'
To say 'different from' or 'different to', you can use either diferente a or diferente de. Both are correct and widely used. For example, Mi opinión es diferente a la tuya.
Placement After the Noun
For this meaning ('not the same'), diferente usually comes after the thing it describes. For example, Quiero un teléfono diferente (I want a different phone).
❌ Common Pitfalls
Forgetting the Plural '-s'
Mistake: "Tenemos idea diferentes."
Correction: Tenemos ideas diferentes. Just like most describing words, you need to add an '-s' when you're talking about more than one thing.
⭐ Usage Tips
A Polite Way to Disagree
Saying someone's idea is diferente is a soft, polite way to express a contrasting opinion without saying they are wrong. It’s a very useful word for smooth conversations.
There are diferentes (various) types of blocks in the group.
diferente(Adjective)
various
?several, a number of
several
?more than two but not many
,sundry
?of various kinds
📝 In Action
Hablé con diferentes personas sobre el problema.
A2I spoke with various people about the problem.
Hay diferentes maneras de resolver esto.
B1There are several ways to solve this.
La tienda vende diferentes tipos de queso.
A2The store sells different/various types of cheese.
💡 Grammar Points
Placement Before the Noun
To get this meaning ('various' or 'several'), diferentes almost always comes before the noun it describes. For example, diferentes libros means 'various books'.
❌ Common Pitfalls
Singular vs. Plural
Mistake: "Tengo diferente opción para ti."
Correction: Tengo diferentes opciones para ti. This meaning of 'various' or 'several' is nearly always used in the plural form to talk about multiple things.
⭐ Usage Tips
A Good Swap for 'Varios'
You can often use diferentes and varios in the same way. Compré varios libros and Compré diferentes libros both mean 'I bought several books'.
✏️ Quick Practice
💡 Quick Quiz: diferente
Question 1 of 2
Which sentence most clearly means 'I saw several interesting cars'?
📚 More Resources
Frequently Asked Questions
What's the real difference between `diferente a` and `diferente de`?
Honestly, in everyday use, there's no difference! Both mean 'different from/to' and are completely correct. `Diferente a` is slightly more common in conversation in many regions, but you can use whichever sounds more natural to you.
Is `distinto` the same as `diferente`?
They are very close synonyms and you can often use them in the same way. `Diferente` is a bit more common in general conversation. Think of them like 'different' and 'distinct' in English – very similar, with `distinto` sometimes adding a slightly stronger sense of being clearly separate.
Why does the meaning change when `diferente` is placed before or after the noun?
This is a cool feature of some Spanish adjectives! Placing it *after* the noun gives its most common, literal meaning ('a different car' - one that is not the same). Placing it *before* can add a more subjective or figurative meaning. For `diferentes`, putting it before 'cars' shifts the focus to the quantity and variety ('various cars').