las
“las” means “the” in Spanish. It has 2 different meanings depending on context:
the
📝 In Action
Las casas son blancas.
A1The houses are white.
¿Dónde están las llaves del coche?
A1Where are the car keys?
Me encantan las películas de comedia.
A2I love comedy movies.
them
📝 In Action
¿Ves a mis hermanas? Sí, las veo.
A2Do you see my sisters? Yes, I see them.
Compré unas manzanas y las puse en la mesa.
A2I bought some apples and I put them on the table.
Tengo tus cartas; voy a leerlas esta noche.
B1I have your letters; I'm going to read them tonight.
✏️ Quick Practice
Quick Quiz: las
Question 1 of 2
Which sentence correctly uses 'las' to mean 'them'?
📚 More Resources
👥 Word Family▼
📚 Etymology▼
Comes from the Latin word 'illās', which was the feminine plural form of 'ille', a word meaning 'that' or 'those over there'. Over time, it shortened and became the standard word for 'the' (feminine plural).
First recorded: Evolved in early Spanish, around the 10th-12th centuries.
Cognates (Related words)
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Frequently Asked Questions
Why are there two meanings for 'las'? It's confusing!
It's a great question! Think of the second meaning ('them') as a clever shortcut for the first ('the'). Instead of saying 'I see the girls. I will call the girls,' Spanish shortens it to 'I see the girls. I will call them' ('Veo a las chicas. Las voy a llamar'). Both uses of 'las' are pointing to the same feminine, plural group.
How do I know if a word needs 'los' or 'las'?
You have to know if the noun is masculine or feminine. Most nouns ending in '-a' are feminine and will use 'la' or 'las' (like 'casa' -> 'las casas'). Most nouns ending in '-o' are masculine and use 'el' or 'los' (like 'libro' -> 'los libros'). There are exceptions, but this is a great starting point!