A simple illustration showing a red boxing glove striking a blue boxing glove in mid-air, with motion lines indicating a forceful impact, symbolizing physical blows.

golpes

GOHL-pehs

NounmA2

blows?physical strikes,hits?impacts or knocks

Also:shocks?figurative setbacks (e.g., economic shocks),knocks?sounds on a door or surface

📝 In Action

El árbol resistió los golpes del viento fuerte.

The tree resisted the blows from the strong wind.

Después de la pelea, tenía muchos golpes en el cuerpo.

After the fight, he had many bruises/hits on his body.

La empresa sufrió varios golpes financieros este año.

The company suffered several financial shocks this year.

Word Connections

Synonyms

impactos (impacts)
porrazos (hard hits/thumps)

Common Collocations

recibir golpes – to receive blows/to get hit
dar golpes – to strike/to hit
a golpes – by hitting/with violence

Idioms & Expressions

golpes de suerte – lucky breaks
de golpe – suddenly/all at once

💡 Grammar Points

Always Masculine

Remember that 'golpes' is a masculine plural noun, so any descriptive words (adjectives) you use with it must also be masculine and plural: 'golpes fuertes' (strong blows).

❌ Common Pitfalls

Using 'Golpes' for Bruises

Mistake: "Using 'golpes' to mean 'bruises' when the focus is the discoloration: 'Tengo un golpe azul.'"

Correction: While 'golpe' can mean the injury, 'moretón' is the common word for the bruise itself. Say: 'Tengo un moretón grande.' (I have a big bruise.)

⭐ Usage Tips

Sound vs. Action

Use 'golpes' not only for the action of hitting but also for the sound of knocking: 'Oí golpes en la puerta' (I heard knocking on the door).

✏️ Quick Practice

💡 Quick Quiz: golpes

Question 1 of 1

Which sentence uses 'golpes' in a figurative (non-physical) sense?

📚 More Resources

Word Family

golpe(blow/hit (singular)) - noun

golpear(to hit/to strike) - verb

golpiza(beating/thrashing) - noun

Frequently Asked Questions

Is 'golpes' the same as 'golpeas'?

No, they are different words. 'Golpes' (GOHL-pehs) is the plural noun meaning 'blows' or 'hits.' 'Golpeas' (gohl-peh-AHS) is the verb 'golpear' (to hit) conjugated for 'tú' (you hit/strike).

How do I say 'a sudden attack' using this word?

The singular form is often used in this context: 'un golpe de estado' means a coup d'état (a sudden, violent overthrow of the government). 'De golpe' means 'suddenly' or 'all at once'.