graves
/GRAH-vehs/
serious
The adjective graves means 'serious' when referring to problems or situations.
graves(Adjective)
serious
?problems, illnesses, situations
,severe
?injuries, weather
critical
?condition
,important
?consequences
📝 In Action
Las consecuencias de la sequía son muy graves.
A2The consequences of the drought are very serious.
Sufrió heridas graves en el accidente.
B1He suffered severe injuries in the accident.
Tomaron decisiones graves sin consultar a nadie.
B2They made critical decisions without consulting anyone.
💡 Grammar Points
Always Plural
Since 'graves' is the plural form of the adjective 'grave', it must be used to describe more than one thing. Remember that 'grave' (serious) always ends in 'e' in the singular, regardless of gender.
❌ Common Pitfalls
Confusing 'Grave' and 'Heavy'
Mistake: "Using 'graves' to mean physically heavy objects."
Correction: Use 'pesados' or 'cargados' for physical weight. 'Graves' is reserved for seriousness or sound pitch.
⭐ Usage Tips
Intensifying Severity
To emphasize how serious something is, pair 'graves' with adverbs like 'sumamente' (extremely) or 'particularmente' (particularly).
Graves can also be an adjective meaning 'deep', often used to describe a sound or voice.
📝 In Action
Se escucharon unos tonos graves en la orquesta.
B1Some deep tones were heard in the orchestra.
Los sonidos graves viajan más lejos.
B2Low-pitched sounds travel further.
💡 Grammar Points
Describing Sound
When describing the pitch of a sound, 'graves' is the correct adjective for deep or low-frequency sounds, contrasting with 'agudos' for high-pitched sounds.
The verb form graves means 'that you tax' (second person singular subjunctive of gravar).
graves(Verb)
that you tax
?second person singular subjunctive
,that you burden
?second person singular subjunctive
that you engrave
?second person singular subjunctive (less common meaning of 'gravar')
📝 In Action
Espero que no graves demasiado la renta de los ciudadanos.
B2I hope that you (tú) don't tax citizens' income too much.
El director pide que graves tu nombre en el premio.
C1The director asks that you (tú) engrave your name on the award.
💡 Grammar Points
The Subjunctive Form
The word 'graves' here is a special verb form (present subjunctive, 'tú' form). We use this form after expressions of doubt, desire, or necessity, often following 'que' (e.g., 'Quiero que graves' - I want you to tax).
Regular -AR Verb
The verb 'gravar' follows the standard pattern for verbs ending in -AR, making its conjugations predictable.
❌ Common Pitfalls
Mixing up 'Gravar' and 'Grabar'
Mistake: "Using 'gravar' (to tax/burden) when you mean 'grabar' (to record or to save data)."
Correction: These are two distinct verbs. 'Gravar' relates to weight/taxes/engraving; 'Grabar' relates to sound/video/data.
🔄 Conjugations
indicative
present
imperfect
preterite
subjunctive
present
imperfect
✏️ Quick Practice
💡 Quick Quiz: graves
Question 1 of 2
Which sentence uses 'graves' in the context of sound?
📚 More Resources
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I know if 'graves' is the adjective (serious) or the verb (that you tax)?
If it follows a noun and describes it (e.g., 'problemas graves'), it's the adjective meaning 'serious.' If it follows a trigger phrase like 'Espero que...' (I hope that...) or 'Necesito que...' (I need that...), it is the verb form of 'gravar' (to tax/burden).
Does 'graves' have an accent mark?
No, the word 'graves' (both the adjective and the verb form) does not carry a written accent mark. It follows the standard Spanish rule for words ending in a vowel, 'n', or 's', where the stress falls on the second-to-last syllable.