llena
/YEH-nah/
full
A basket that is completely 'full' (llena) of fruit.
llena(Adjective)
full
?at capacity
filled
?containing a substance
,crowded
?of a place with people
📝 In Action
La taza está llena de café caliente.
A1The cup is full of hot coffee.
Tienes la nevera llena de comida.
A2You have the fridge filled with food.
Ella es una persona llena de alegría y energía.
B1She is a person full of joy and energy.
💡 Grammar Points
Adjective Agreement Rule
"Llena" is the feminine form. Always make sure the ending matches the noun you are describing: use "llena" for feminine nouns (like mesa, botella) and "lleno" for masculine nouns (like vaso, plato).
❌ Common Pitfalls
Confusing SER and ESTAR
Mistake: "El vaso es llena. (Incorrect)"
Correction: El vaso está lleno. (Correct). The verb 'estar' is usually used for temporary states, like being full or empty, unless you are using 'llena' to describe someone's personality (e.g., 'es una persona llena de energía').
⭐ Usage Tips
Filling Something UP
To say something is 'full of' something else, use the structure: 'estar lleno/a de' + noun. (e.g., 'La calle está llena de gente'—The street is full of people).
The child 'fills' (llena) the bucket with sand.
llena(Verb)
fills
?3rd person singular present tense (he/she/it/you formal)
fill!
?affirmative command (tú)
,fills up
?completes a space
📝 In Action
Ella siempre llena el tanque de gasolina los lunes.
A2She always fills the gas tank on Mondays.
¡Llena la bañera rápido, el agua se está enfriando!
A2Fill the bathtub quickly, the water is getting cold!
Usted llena el formulario en la recepción.
B1You (formal) fill out the form at the reception desk.
💡 Grammar Points
Regular -AR Verb
This is a very common, regular verb. Once you learn the pattern for llenar, you can use the same endings for hundreds of other verbs like hablar or cantar.
❌ Common Pitfalls
Using 'Llenar' instead of 'Rellenar'
Mistake: "Voy a llenar el vaso otra vez. (A little awkward if it was already full once)"
Correction: Voy a rellenar el vaso. (Correct). Use the prefix 're-' (rellenar) when you mean 'to fill again' or 'to refill'.
⭐ Usage Tips
The Simple Command
The 'llena' form is the simple, direct way to tell a friend (tú) to fill something up: '¡Llena esto!'
🔄 Conjugations
indicative
present
imperfect
preterite
subjunctive
present
imperfect
✏️ Quick Practice
💡 Quick Quiz: llena
Question 1 of 2
Which sentence uses 'llena' as a command?
📚 More Resources
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I know if 'llena' is an adjective or a verb?
Look at the word next to it. If it follows the verb 'estar' or 'ser' (e.g., 'está llena'), it is almost certainly the adjective describing the state of something. If it is the main verb of the sentence (e.g., 'Ella llena...'), it is the conjugation of 'llenar' (to fill).
Why is it spelled with 'll'?
The 'll' in Spanish usually represents a single sound, historically formed when the original Latin words had a double 'l' or when an 'l' combined with another sound. This spelling distinguishes the word and ensures the unique 'y' sound (or 'j' sound, depending on the region) is pronounced.