gente
/HEN-teh/
In Spanish, 'gente' refers to a group of people, but we treat the word itself as a single thing, like 'the crowd'.
gente (Noun)
📝 In Action
Hay mucha gente en la playa hoy.
A1There are a lot of people at the beach today.
La gente de aquí es muy amable.
A2The people from here are very kind.
No me importa lo que piense la gente.
B1I don't care what people think.
💡 Grammar Points
A Group, Not Individuals
Think of 'gente' like 'the crowd' or 'the public' in English. Even though it means many people, the word itself is treated as one single, feminine thing. So, you always say 'la gente'.
❌ Common Pitfalls
Using Plural Verbs
Mistake: "La gente son interesantes."
Correction: La gente es interesante. Because 'gente' is a singular word, the verb connected to it must also be singular ('es', not 'son').
⭐ Usage Tips
When to Use 'Personas'
If you need to count people or talk about them as individuals, use 'personas'. For example, 'Hay cinco personas en la sala' (There are five people in the room).
'Gente' can also refer to your own specific group, like your family or close community.
gente (Noun)
📝 In Action
En Navidad, siempre voy a ver a mi gente.
B1At Christmas, I always go to see my family/people.
Es una persona que cuida mucho a su gente.
B2He/She is a person who takes great care of his/her people.
⭐ Usage Tips
It's All About Connection
This meaning is all about context and relationship. When someone says 'mi gente', they are talking about the people they feel a strong connection to, like family, close friends, or people from their hometown.
The plural form, 'gentes', is rare and used to talk about different peoples or nations of the world.
gente (Noun)
📝 In Action
El libro describe las costumbres de las gentes de la antigüedad.
C1The book describes the customs of the peoples of antiquity.
Es un lugar donde conviven gentes de todo el mundo.
C1It is a place where peoples from all over the world coexist.
⭐ Usage Tips
Use with Caution
This plural form 'gentes' is not used in everyday conversation. Stick to the singular 'gente' for 'people'. Using 'gentes' can sound overly poetic or old-fashioned if used incorrectly.
✏️ Quick Practice
💡 Quick Quiz: gente
Question 1 of 2
Which sentence is grammatically correct in Spanish?
📚 More Resources
Frequently Asked Questions
What's the real difference between 'gente' and 'personas'?
Think of 'gente' as an uncountable group, like 'water' or 'sand'. You talk about 'the people' as one big concept. 'Personas' is for countable individuals. You use it when you could put a number in front of it: 'tres personas', 'diez personas'.
Can I ever say 'una gente'?
No, you can't say 'una gente' to mean 'one person'. For that, you would always use 'una persona'. 'Gente' is a collective noun and isn't used with numbers like that.