estrellas
/es-TREH-yahs/
stars
As a noun, estrellas refers to celestial bodies like these bright stars in the night sky.
📝 In Action
Por la noche, se ven miles de estrellas.
A1At night, thousands of stars can be seen.
Mi hijo quiere ser astronauta y visitar las estrellas.
A2My son wants to be an astronaut and visit the stars.
💡 Grammar Points
Gender and Plural
Since the singular form is 'la estrella' (a feminine noun), the plural 'estrellas' is also feminine. Remember to use 'las' before it.
❌ Common Pitfalls
Confusing Gender
Mistake: "Los estrellas brillan mucho. (Using the masculine article 'los')"
Correction: Las estrellas brillan mucho. (Always use the feminine article 'las'.)
When referring to famous people, estrellas means 'stars' or 'celebrities.'
estrellas(noun)
stars
?celebrities, famous people
,stars
?rating points (e.g., for a hotel or movie)
leads
?main actors in a production
📝 In Action
Ese hotel tiene cinco estrellas y el servicio es excelente.
A2That hotel has five stars, and the service is excellent.
Todas las grandes estrellas de Hollywood asistieron al evento.
B1All the big stars from Hollywood attended the event.
💡 Grammar Points
Figurative Use
Just like in English, 'estrellas' can refer to famous people or denote quality (a star rating). The plural form is most common for this meaning.
As a verb in the second person singular, estrellas translates to 'you crash.'
estrellas(verb)
you crash
?Second person singular present tense (tú form)
,you smash
?Second person singular present tense (tú form)
📝 In Action
Si no miras el camino, estrellas el coche.
B2If you don't watch the road, you crash the car.
Tú estrellas la bola contra la pared.
B2You smash the ball against the wall.
💡 Grammar Points
Verb vs. Noun
Be careful! Although 'estrellas' is usually the noun meaning 'stars', it is also the 'tú' (you) form of the verb 'estrellar' (to crash or smash). Context will tell you which one is being used.
❌ Common Pitfalls
Mixing up Reflexive and Non-Reflexive
Mistake: "La nave estrellas (The spaceship crashes) (Missing the reflexive particle)"
Correction: La nave se estrella. (When something crashes by itself, like a plane or car, use 'estrellarse'.)
🔄 Conjugations
indicative
present
imperfect
preterite
subjunctive
present
imperfect
✏️ Quick Practice
💡 Quick Quiz: estrellas
Question 1 of 2
¿Cuál frase usa 'estrellas' en un sentido figurado (no celestial)?
📚 More Resources
Frequently Asked Questions
Is 'estrellas' only used for astronomical stars?
No. While its main meaning is the celestial bodies, it is very commonly used to mean 'celebrities' (las estrellas de cine) or 'quality ratings' (un hotel de cinco estrellas).
Does 'estrellas' mean 'planets'?
No. 'Estrellas' specifically means 'stars' (burning balls of gas). The word for 'planets' is 'planetas' (which, confusingly, is masculine: 'los planetas').