naciones
nah-see-OH-ness
📝 In Action
Las naciones del mundo deben cooperar en este tema.
B1The nations of the world must cooperate on this issue.
Viajar entre naciones requiere un pasaporte.
A2Traveling between nations requires a passport.
Históricamente, muchas naciones han tenido conflictos territoriales.
B2Historically, many nations have had territorial conflicts.
💡 Grammar Points
Feminine Plural
'Naciones' is the plural form of the feminine word 'nación'. Therefore, you must use feminine articles and adjectives with it, such as 'las naciones' (the nations) or 'naciones grandes' (big nations).
❌ Common Pitfalls
Mixing Singular and Plural
Mistake: "La naciones"
Correction: Since 'naciones' is plural, you must use the plural article 'las': 'Las naciones'.
Forgetting the Accent (Singular)
Mistake: "Esa nacion es rica."
Correction: The singular form is 'nación' with an accent on the 'o' to maintain the stress: 'Esa nación es rica.' The plural 'naciones' does not need the accent.
⭐ Usage Tips
Formal vs. Informal
'Naciones' sounds more formal or official. In casual conversation, people often simply use 'países' (countries) instead.
✏️ Quick Practice
💡 Quick Quiz: naciones
Question 1 of 2
Which word is the singular form of 'naciones'?
📚 More Resources
Frequently Asked Questions
Why is 'nación' (singular) spelled with an accent mark, but 'naciones' (plural) is not?
In Spanish, the accent mark tells you where to stress the word. 'Nación' needs the accent because the stress falls on the last syllable, which is unusual for words ending in 'n'. When you add '-es' to make it plural ('naciones'), the stress naturally moves to the second-to-last syllable, following the normal Spanish pronunciation rules, so the accent mark is no longer needed.
When should I use 'naciones' instead of 'países'?
'Países' (countries) focuses more on the geographical territory. 'Naciones' focuses more on the political, cultural, or historical identity of the group of people. In most everyday situations, you can use 'países,' but 'naciones' is preferred in formal political or diplomatic contexts (like 'Naciones Unidas').