duras

DOO-ras

AdjectivefA1

hard?physically firm or solid (feminine plural),tough?difficult or severe (feminine plural situations/experiences)

Also:harsh?describing conditions or treatment,stiff?not flexible

📝 In Action

Necesitas herramientas muy duras para cortar estas maderas.

You need very hard tools to cut this wood.

Las condiciones de vida en el desierto son muy duras.

The living conditions in the desert are very tough (or harsh).

Sus palabras fueron muy duras y me hicieron sentir mal.

Her words were very harsh and made me feel bad.

Word Connections

Synonyms

rígidas (rigid)
difíciles (difficult)

Antonyms

blandas (soft)
fáciles (easy)

Common Collocations

pruebas duras – hard/difficult tests
rocas duras – hard rocks

💡 Grammar Points

Adjective Agreement

As an adjective, 'duras' must match the noun it describes. Since it ends in '-as', it is used only with nouns that are feminine and plural, like 'rocas' (rocks) or 'pruebas' (tests).

❌ Common Pitfalls

Mixing Genders

Mistake: "Los sillas son duras."

Correction: Las sillas son duras. (Since 'sillas' is feminine, the adjective must be feminine 'duras', not masculine 'duros'.)

⭐ Usage Tips

Beyond Physicality

Remember that 'duras' is often used figuratively to describe things that are emotionally or mentally challenging, like 'épocas duras' (hard times).

✏️ Quick Practice

💡 Quick Quiz: duras

Question 1 of 2

Which sentence uses 'duras' as an adjective?

📚 More Resources

Word Family

duro(hard (masculine singular)) - adjective

durar(to last) - verb

dureza(hardness) - noun

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I know if 'duras' is the adjective or the verb?

If 'duras' comes right after a feminine plural noun (like 'las piedras duras'), it's the adjective meaning 'hard.' If it follows a question word like '¿Cuánto?' or is used with the pronoun 'tú,' it's the verb form meaning 'you last' or 'you endure.'