A row of four identical red apples with one single golden, glowing apple placed in the center, highlighting its unique and special nature.

especial

/es-peh-see-AHL/

AdjectiveA2

special?out of the ordinary, important, or unique

Also:particular?specific or distinct,main?primary or principal

📝 In Action

Hoy es un día especial para nosotros.

Today is a special day for us.

Ella tiene un talento especial para la música.

She has a special talent for music.

Este plato necesita un ingrediente especial.

This dish needs a special ingredient.

Hay que prestar especial atención a los detalles.

You have to pay special (or particular) attention to the details.

Word Connections

Synonyms

particular (particular, specific)
singular (singular, unique)
único (unique)
extraordinario (extraordinary)

Antonyms

común (common)
corriente (ordinary, common)
ordinario (ordinary)
normal (normal)

Common Collocations

ocasión especial – special occasion
atención especial – special attention
cuidado especial – special care
oferta especial – special offer
enviado especial – special envoy

💡 Grammar Points

One Form for Masculine & Feminine

Unlike many Spanish adjectives, 'especial' looks the same whether you're describing a masculine or feminine thing. For example: 'un día especial' (a special day) and 'una noche especial' (a special night).

Making it Plural

To talk about more than one special thing, just add '-es' to the end. For example: 'días especiales' (special days) or 'personas especiales' (special people).

Where to Place It

Usually, 'especial' comes after the thing it's describing ('un amigo especial'). But you can put it before to add extra emotion or emphasis, like saying 'an especially special friend' ('un especial amigo').

❌ Common Pitfalls

Trying to make it feminine

Mistake: "La fiesta fue muy especiala."

Correction: La fiesta fue muy especial. Remember, 'especial' doesn't change for feminine things, so you never need to say 'especiala'.

⭐ Usage Tips

Use 'en especial' for 'especially'

When you want to say 'especially' or 'in particular', a great phrase to use is 'en especial'. For example: 'Me gustan todas las frutas, en especial las fresas.' (I like all fruits, especially strawberries).

✏️ Quick Practice

💡 Quick Quiz: especial

Question 1 of 1

Which sentence is correct?

📚 More Resources

Word Family

especialmente(especially) - adverb

especialista(specialist) - noun

especialidad(specialty) - noun

especializar(to specialize) - verb

Frequently Asked Questions

Does 'especial' always mean the same as 'special' in English?

Almost always! It's a very reliable translation. Both words describe something unique, important, or out of the ordinary. Sometimes it can also mean 'particular', as in 'prestar especial atención' (to pay particular attention).

Why doesn't 'especial' change for masculine and feminine nouns?

It's part of a group of Spanish adjectives that end in '-l', '-e', '-z', or '-ista' which don't change their form for masculine or feminine things. This makes them a bit easier to remember! You just have one form for singular ('especial') and one for plural ('especiales').