general
“general” means “general” in Spanish. It has 2 different meanings depending on context:
general
Also: widespread, common
📝 In Action
La idea general es buena, pero los detalles son complicados.
A2The general idea is good, but the details are complicated.
En general, me gusta la comida española.
A1In general, I like Spanish food.
Hay una preocupación general por el cambio climático.
B1There is a widespread concern about climate change.
general
📝 In Action
El general dio la orden de avanzar.
B1The general gave the order to advance.
La general es la oficial de más alto rango en la base.
B2The (female) general is the highest-ranking officer on the base.
Se reunieron con el General Rodríguez para discutir la estrategia.
B1They met with General Rodríguez to discuss the strategy.
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✏️ Quick Practice
Quick Quiz: general
Question 1 of 2
Which sentence uses 'general' to mean a military leader?
📚 More Resources
👥 Word Family▼
📚 Etymology▼
Comes from the Latin word 'generālis', which meant 'relating to a whole class or kind'. It's connected to 'genus', meaning 'birth, race, or kind'. You can see the family resemblance in English words like 'generate' and 'generic'.
First recorded: 13th century
Cognates (Related words)
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Frequently Asked Questions
What's the difference between 'general' and 'común'?
They can be very similar! Use 'general' for something that applies to a whole group or is an overall concept, like 'la idea general' (the overall idea). Use 'común' for something that is shared or happens frequently, like 'un problema común' (a common problem). Often, you could use either, but 'general' feels a bit broader.
Does 'general' always come after the noun it describes?
Not always! While it's common to see it after the noun ('una regla general'), it can sometimes come before for emphasis, though this is less frequent. The most important thing to remember is that in phrases like 'en general', it stands on its own.