inglés
/een-GLESS/
English
Depicting something relating to England or its culture.
inglés(Adjective)
English
?Relating to England or its culture
British
?Often used interchangeably with 'British' in casual contexts
📝 In Action
Mi mejor amiga tiene un perro salchicha inglés.
A1My best friend has an English dachshund.
Compramos té inglés para la merienda.
A1We bought English tea for the afternoon snack.
La bandera inglesa es blanca con una cruz roja.
A2The English flag is white with a red cross. (Note the feminine form 'inglesa' for 'bandera'.)
💡 Grammar Points
Gender and Number Match
As an adjective, 'inglés' must change its ending to match the noun it describes: inglés (masc. singular), inglesa (fem. singular), ingleses (masc. plural), inglesas (fem. plural).
❌ Common Pitfalls
Forgetting the Accent Mark
Mistake: "No acento: 'ingles' (incorrect)"
Correction: Always write the accent mark on the 'e': 'inglés'. This is essential for correct pronunciation.
⭐ Usage Tips
Positioning Adjectives
Nationality adjectives like 'inglés' almost always come after the noun they describe (e.g., 'profesor inglés', not 'inglés profesor').
Depicting the English language as a form of communication.
📝 In Action
¿Hablas inglés o solo español?
A1Do you speak English or only Spanish?
Estudiar inglés es crucial para mi trabajo.
A1Studying English is crucial for my job.
El inglés es un idioma global.
A2English is a global language.
💡 Grammar Points
Languages are Masculine
When referring to the language, 'inglés' is always treated as a masculine noun, even if it ends in an 's'. Use 'el inglés'.
❌ Common Pitfalls
Capitalization (False Friend)
Mistake: "Using a capital letter: 'Aprendo Inglés' (Incorrect)"
Correction: In Spanish, the names of languages are generally written in lowercase: 'Aprendo inglés'. They only capitalize if they start a sentence.
Depicting an Englishman, a man from England.
inglés(Noun)
Englishman
?A man from England
,English person
?A person from England (when gender is unknown or the group is mixed)
📝 In Action
El inglés que conocí en el viaje era muy simpático.
A2The Englishman I met on the trip was very nice.
Hay varios ingleses viviendo en esta zona de la ciudad.
B1There are several English people living in this area of the city.
💡 Grammar Points
The Feminine Form
To refer to a woman from England, you must use the feminine noun form, 'la inglesa'.
⭐ Usage Tips
Referring to Groups
When talking about a group that includes both English men and women, use the masculine plural form: 'los ingleses'.
✏️ Quick Practice
💡 Quick Quiz: inglés
Question 1 of 2
Which sentence correctly uses 'inglés' to refer to the language?
📚 More Resources
Frequently Asked Questions
Why does 'inglés' have an accent mark?
The accent mark on the 'é' is there to follow Spanish spelling rules. Because the word ends in 's', the stress should naturally fall on the second-to-last syllable, but since it falls on the last syllable, the accent mark is necessary to guide the reader to pronounce it as 'een-GLESS'.
When should I use 'británico' instead of 'inglés'?
'Británico' refers to the United Kingdom as a whole (England, Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland). 'Inglés' specifically refers only to England. If you want to be precise about a person from Scotland, you should say 'escocés', but if you are just talking about the language, 'inglés' is always correct.