A close-up view of a pair of brightly colored, knitted gloves displayed side-by-side on a simple background.

guantes

GWAHN-tes

gloves?A pair of hand coverings, usually with separate sections for the fingers.

Also:mittens?Hand coverings without separate finger sections (though 'manoplas' is more precise).,gauntlets?Long, protective gloves, often historical or specialized.

📝 In Action

Ponte los guantes antes de salir, hace mucho frío.

Put on your gloves before going out, it's very cold.

Para el boxeo, necesitas guantes especiales para proteger tus manos.

For boxing, you need special gloves to protect your hands.

Siempre uso guantes de goma para lavar los platos.

I always use rubber gloves to wash the dishes.

Word Connections

Synonyms

manoplas (mittens)

Common Collocations

guantes de lana – wool gloves
guantes quirúrgicos – surgical gloves
par de guantes – pair of gloves

Idioms & Expressions

Echar el guante a alguien/algo – To catch, nab, or get hold of someone or something.

💡 Grammar Points

Always Plural

Even when referring to a single pair of gloves, you almost always use the plural form 'guantes.' If you need to specify 'one glove,' use 'un guante' (singular).

❌ Common Pitfalls

Using the Singular for a Pair

Mistake: "Me puse el guante."

Correction: Me puse los guantes. (Use the plural 'los guantes' when referring to the pair.)

⭐ Usage Tips

Gloves vs. Mittens

While 'guantes' can sometimes mean mittens, the more specific word for mittens (where all fingers share one compartment) is 'manoplas.'

✏️ Quick Practice

💡 Quick Quiz: guantes

Question 1 of 1

Which sentence correctly uses 'guantes'?

📚 More Resources

Word Family

guante(glove (singular)) - noun

enguantado(gloved) - adjective

Frequently Asked Questions

Why is 'guantes' plural if I'm only talking about one pair?

In Spanish, words that naturally come in pairs, like pants ('pantalones') or glasses ('gafas'), are usually treated as plural. Since a pair of gloves is two items, the word 'guantes' reflects this dual nature.