Inklingo
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normal

/nor-MAHL/

normal

A row of five identical, perfectly shaped red apples sitting neatly on a wooden table, symbolizing uniformity and the expected.

As an adjective, normal means usual, ordinary, or expected.

normal(Adjective)

A1

normal

?

usual, ordinary, expected

Also:

standard

?

conforming to a standard

,

regular

?

as in 'a regular day'

📝 In Action

Es un día normal, nada especial.

A1

It's a normal day, nothing special.

Mi temperatura es normal, no tengo fiebre.

A2

My temperature is normal, I don't have a fever.

Lo normal es llegar a tiempo a las citas.

B1

The normal thing is to arrive on time for appointments.

Después de la tormenta, el servicio eléctrico volvió a la normalidad.

B2

After the storm, the electrical service returned to normal.

Word Connections

Synonyms

  • común (common)
  • corriente (ordinary)
  • habitual (usual)
  • ordinario (ordinary)

Antonyms

  • anormal (abnormal)
  • raro (rare, strange)
  • extraño (strange)
  • excepcional (exceptional)

Common Collocations

  • vida normal – normal life
  • funcionamiento normal – normal operation
  • lo normal – the normal thing
  • presión arterial normal – normal blood pressure

💡 Grammar Points

One Form for Masculine & Feminine

Good news! 'Normal' doesn't change for masculine or feminine things. It's 'un chico normal' (a normal boy) and 'una chica normal' (a normal girl). It always stays the same.

Making It Plural

To talk about more than one thing, just add '-es' to the end. For example, 'días normales' (normal days) or 'situaciones normales' (normal situations).

❌ Common Pitfalls

Pronunciation Pitfall

Mistake: "Saying it exactly like English, with a soft 'r' and silent 'l' sound at the end."

Correction: Try to give the 'r' a little tap with your tongue ('nor-') and make sure to pronounce the final 'al' sound clearly ('-MAHL'). The stress is on that last part.

⭐ Usage Tips

Using 'lo normal'

You can put 'lo' in front of 'normal' to mean 'the normal thing' or 'what's normal'. It's a very common shortcut. Example: 'Lo normal es comer tres veces al día' (The normal thing is to eat three times a day).

A simplified diagram showing a curved green surface with a bright yellow line drawn perpendicular (at 90 degrees) to the curve, illustrating the geometric concept of a normal line.

In geometry and physics, la normal (the normal) refers to a line perpendicular to a surface.

normal(Noun)

fC1

teacher-training college

?

education, short for 'escuela normal'

Also:

normal

?

geometry/physics, a line perpendicular to a surface

📝 In Action

Mi abuela estudió en la normal para ser maestra.

C1

My grandmother studied at the teacher-training college to become a teacher.

El profesor dibujó la normal a la curva en la pizarra.

C2

The professor drew the normal to the curve on the blackboard.

Word Connections

Synonyms

  • escuela de magisterio (teacher-training school)

Common Collocations

  • estudiar en la normal – to study at the teacher-training college
  • graduarse de la normal – to graduate from the teacher-training college

⭐ Usage Tips

Context is Everything

You'll almost always see this meaning with 'la' in front ('la normal'). The topic of conversation—like education or mathematics—will be your biggest clue that it's not the adjective 'normal'.

✏️ Quick Practice

💡 Quick Quiz: normal

Question 1 of 2

Which sentence correctly uses 'normal' to describe more than one thing?

📚 More Resources

Word Family

normalidad(normality) - noun
normalmente(normally) - adverb
normalizar(to normalize) - verb
anormal(abnormal) - adjective

Frequently Asked Questions

Is 'normal' always the same for masculine and feminine things?

Yes, it is! This makes it easier to use than many other Spanish adjectives. You say 'un libro normal' (a normal book) and 'una casa normal' (a normal house). The word itself doesn't change.

What's the difference between 'normal' and 'común'?

They're very close, but there's a slight difference. 'Normal' usually means something fits a standard or expectation ('una temperatura normal'). 'Común' means 'common' or 'widespread' ('un problema común'). In many situations, you could use either one without any confusion.