leones
/leh-OH-nehs/
lions
Leones resting in their natural habitat.
📝 In Action
Los leones son conocidos como los reyes de la selva.
A1Lions are known as the kings of the jungle.
Esos bomberos pelearon como leones contra el fuego.
B1Those firefighters fought like lions against the fire.
💡 Grammar Points
Making 'León' Plural
When a word ends in 'n' and has an accent on the last vowel, like 'león,' you drop the accent mark when you add '-es' to make it plural.
❌ Common Pitfalls
Don't forget the accent change
Mistake: "leónes"
Correction: leones (the accent disappears in the plural form because the natural stress moves).
⭐ Usage Tips
Male vs. Female
Use 'leones' to talk about a group of male lions or a mixed group. If you are talking strictly about female lions, use 'leonas'.
Leones enjoying a sunny day in their city.
📝 In Action
Los leones celebran sus fiestas locales en junio.
B2The people from León celebrate their local festivals in June.
💡 Grammar Points
Words for people from places
In Spanish, the same word used for an animal can sometimes be a nickname or an older term for people from a specific city.
⭐ Usage Tips
Use 'Leoneses' for clarity
While 'leones' can refer to the people, using 'leoneses' is much more common and avoids confusion with the animals.
✏️ Quick Practice
💡 Quick Quiz: leones
Question 1 of 2
What happens to the accent mark when 'león' becomes 'leones'?
📚 More Resources
Frequently Asked Questions
Why doesn't 'leones' have an accent mark?
Spanish spelling rules state that words ending in 's' normally have the stress on the second-to-last syllable. Since 'le-O-nes' naturally stresses the 'o', the written accent mark used in the singular 'le-ÓN' is no longer needed.
Can 'leones' refer to a sports team?
Yes, many sports teams in Spanish-speaking countries use 'Leones' as their nickname, such as the Leones del Caracas (baseball) or Leones Negros (soccer).