A colorful storybook illustration showing two young children standing politely. A boy is courteously offering a freshly baked cookie on a small plate to a girl, demonstrating good manners.

modales

moh-DAH-les

nounmB1

manners?social behavior, etiquette

Also:etiquette?formal rules of behavior,behavior?general conduct (often used with good/bad)

📝 In Action

Tu hijo tiene muy buenos modales en la mesa.

Your son has very good manners at the table.

Perdió el trabajo por sus malos modales con el cliente.

He lost the job because of his bad manners with the client.

En esta cultura, los modales son muy importantes.

In this culture, etiquette is very important.

Word Connections

Synonyms

educación (upbringing, manners)
cortesía (courtesy)

Antonyms

groserías (rudeness, vulgarities)
descortesía (discourtesy)

Common Collocations

buenos modales – good manners
malos modales – bad manners
tener modales – to have manners

💡 Grammar Points

Always Plural

The word 'modales' is almost always used in its plural form, even though it refers to a single concept (the idea of manners). You must use 'los modales' and plural adjectives ('buenos modales').

❌ Common Pitfalls

Using the Singular Form

Mistake: "Using *el modal* when you mean 'manners'."

Correction: Always use the plural: *los modales*. *El modal* is a technical term meaning 'mode' or 'modal verb' and has a completely different meaning.

⭐ Usage Tips

The Education Link

In Spanish, having 'buenos modales' is closely tied to 'tener buena educación' (having a good education/upbringing). They are often used to mean the same thing.

✏️ Quick Practice

💡 Quick Quiz: modales

Question 1 of 1

Which phrase correctly describes someone who behaves well at a party?

📚 More Resources

Word Family

modo(way, manner, mode) - noun

modal(modal (related to mode or manner)) - adjective

Frequently Asked Questions

Why is 'modales' plural, even when I'm talking about one person's behavior?

Think of 'modales' as a collection of behaviors or a set of rules, similar to how we say 'the rules' or 'the manners' (plural) in English. It is simply a word that functions almost exclusively in the plural form.