A colorful storybook illustration showing a smiling man and a woman standing side-by-side, each placing a hand on a large, friendly golden retriever, symbolizing joint ownership.

dueños

DWE-nyos

nounmA2

owners?people who possess something,proprietors?business or land owners

Also:masters?figurative control or dominance,bosses?informal use, usually in Latin America

📝 In Action

Los dueños de la panadería abren a las seis de la mañana.

The owners of the bakery open at six in the morning.

Ellos son los dueños de la casa que queremos alquilar.

They are the owners of the house we want to rent.

Debemos ser dueños de nuestras propias decisiones.

We must be masters of our own decisions. (Figurative)

Word Connections

Synonyms

propietarios (proprietors)
amos (masters, lords)

Antonyms

empleados (employees)
inquilinos (tenants)

Common Collocations

dueños de negocios – business owners
dueños de mascotas – pet owners

💡 Grammar Points

Masculine Plural Form

Dueños is the plural form of dueño (owner). It is used when referring to a group of male owners, or a mixed group of male and female owners.

Ownership and 'Ser'

To state who owns something, you usually use the verb 'ser' (to be) followed by 'dueño/a/os/as de...' (e.g., 'Somos los dueños de la tienda').

❌ Common Pitfalls

Using 'Dueños' for all-female groups

Mistake: "Las dueños de la empresa son muy amables."

Correction: Las dueñas de la empresa son muy amables. (Use 'dueñas' when the group is exclusively female.)

⭐ Usage Tips

Remember the 'ñ'

The 'ñ' gives the 'ny' sound (like in canyon). Don't confuse 'dueños' with 'duenos' (which isn't a word) or 'dinero' (money).

✏️ Quick Practice

💡 Quick Quiz: dueños

Question 1 of 2

If a couple (a man and a woman) own a small shop, how would you refer to them in Spanish?

📚 More Resources

Word Family

dueño(owner (singular, male)) - noun

dueña(owner (singular, female)) - noun

dueñas(owners (plural, female)) - noun

propiedad(property, ownership) - noun

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the difference between 'dueños' and 'propietarios'?

'Dueños' is the most common and simple word for 'owners' in everyday conversation. 'Propietarios' is more formal and is often used in legal, business, or written contexts, but both mean essentially the same thing.