naves
/NAH-vehs/
ships
Naves can refer to maritime vessels like these sailing ships.
📝 In Action
Las naves antiguas cruzaban el océano en tres meses.
B1The ancient ships crossed the ocean in three months.
El capitán revisó todas las naves antes de zarpar.
A2The captain checked all the vessels before setting sail.
💡 Grammar Points
Gender Reminder
Remember that 'nave' is feminine, so even though it refers to a large object, you use feminine articles: 'la nave' (singular) and 'las naves' (plural).
❌ Common Pitfalls
Mixing up Nave and Barco
Mistake: "Using 'nave' for any small boat."
Correction: While technically correct, 'nave' usually implies a large, serious vessel (like a ship or spacecraft). Use 'barco' or 'bote' for smaller, everyday boats.
⭐ Usage Tips
Formal Tone
Using 'nave' often sounds slightly more formal or technical than 'barco' when discussing sea travel.
In an industrial context, naves means warehouses or large storage buildings.
naves(noun)
warehouses
?industrial storage buildings
,industrial units
?factory buildings
sheds
?large storage sheds
📝 In Action
Necesitan alquilar naves más grandes para almacenar la producción.
B1They need to rent bigger warehouses to store the production.
El polígono industrial está lleno de naves nuevas.
B2The industrial park is full of new factory buildings.
💡 Grammar Points
Common Usage
This meaning is often used with the adjective 'industrial' (naves industriales), but in context, people often drop 'industrial' if they are talking about a business park.
⭐ Usage Tips
Real Estate
If you are looking at property listings in Spanish, 'nave' almost always refers to a commercial or industrial building, not a home.
When discussing space travel, naves translates to spacecraft.
📝 In Action
Las naves espaciales aterrizaron en la Luna.
B1The spacecraft landed on the Moon.
El museo exhibe modelos de naves futuristas.
B2The museum exhibits models of futuristic starships.
💡 Grammar Points
Context is Key
When you see 'nave' used with adjectives like 'espacial' (space) or 'interplanetaria,' it almost always means a vehicle traveling outside Earth's atmosphere.
Naves also refers to the central structural area of a church.
naves(noun)
naves
?central part of a church
,aisles
?side sections of a large building
halls
?large interior open spaces
📝 In Action
Las naves laterales de la catedral gótica son muy altas.
C1The side naves of the Gothic cathedral are very tall.
El arquitecto diseñó tres naves para el nuevo centro de convenciones.
C2The architect designed three halls (naves) for the new convention center.
💡 Grammar Points
Etymological Connection
This meaning relates directly back to the original Latin sense of 'nave' as a large enclosure, connecting it conceptually to the industrial buildings and ships.
✏️ Quick Practice
💡 Quick Quiz: naves
Question 1 of 2
Which of these sentences uses 'naves' in the context of an industrial building?
📚 More Resources
Frequently Asked Questions
¿Es 'naves' lo mismo que 'barcos'?
'Naves' y 'barcos' son similares. 'Naves' se refiere a barcos grandes, como buques de carga, de guerra o cruceros. 'Barcos' es un término más general que incluye cualquier embarcación, grande o pequeña.
Why does 'nave' mean both a ship and a warehouse?
This is because historically, the word referred to any large, vaulted, hollow structure. The shape and function (carrying or housing large volumes) link the hull of a ship, the central hall of a church, and a modern industrial building.