extranjeros
/eks-trahn-HEH-rohs/
foreigners
People from different nations gathered together are called extranjeros (foreigners) by locals.
extranjeros(noun)
foreigners
?people from another country
,aliens
?non-citizens (formal/legal)
outsiders
?general sense of not belonging
📝 In Action
Los extranjeros deben mostrar su pasaporte al llegar.
A1Foreigners must show their passport upon arrival.
La ciudad recibe miles de extranjeros cada verano.
A2The city receives thousands of foreigners every summer.
Hay muchos extranjeros que viven y trabajan aquí.
B1There are many foreign people who live and work here.
💡 Grammar Points
Using the Masculine Plural
Even if the group includes women, Spanish uses the masculine plural form ('extranjeros') to refer to multiple people from outside the country.
❌ Common Pitfalls
Confusing the place and the people
Mistake: "Fui a un extranjeros. (I went to a foreigners.)"
Correction: Fui al extranjero. (I went abroad/to a foreign country.) — Use 'el extranjero' (singular) when talking about the place, and 'los extranjeros' (plural) for the people.
⭐ Usage Tips
Polite Usage
While 'extranjeros' is neutral, in formal settings, you might hear 'ciudadanos no nacionales' (non-national citizens) to sound more official.
An object that comes from another country is considered extranjero (foreign).
extranjeros(adjective)
foreign
?describing an object, language, or concept
imported
?referring to goods
📝 In Action
Me encantan los coches extranjeros.
A2I love foreign cars.
Estudiamos varios idiomas extranjeros en la escuela.
B1We study several foreign languages in school.
Recibimos fondos extranjeros para el proyecto.
B2We received foreign funds for the project.
💡 Grammar Points
Adjective Placement
In Spanish, adjectives like 'extranjeros' usually come after the noun they describe. Example: 'productos extranjeros' (foreign products), not 'extranjeros productos'.
❌ Common Pitfalls
Matching the Ending
Mistake: "Compré unos libros extranjeras."
Correction: Compré unos libros extranjeros. ('Libros' is masculine plural, so the adjective must also be masculine plural.)
⭐ Usage Tips
The Four Forms
Remember this adjective has four forms depending on what you are describing: extranjero (m. sing.), extranjera (f. sing.), extranjeros (m. plural), and extranjeras (f. plural).
✏️ Quick Practice
💡 Quick Quiz: extranjeros
Question 1 of 2
Which sentence correctly uses 'extranjeros' as a noun?
📚 More Resources
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the difference between 'extranjeros' and 'el extranjero'?
'Los extranjeros' (plural) refers to the people—foreigners. 'El extranjero' (singular) refers to a place—a foreign country or 'abroad.' For example: 'Viajé al extranjero y conocí a muchos extranjeros.'
Does 'extranjeros' always refer to people?
No. When it is used as an adjective (like 'foreign' in English), it describes things, concepts, or languages, such as 'productos extranjeros' (foreign products).