palos
/PAH-lohs/
sticks
Palos can mean 'sticks,' often referring to pieces of wood.
palos(noun)
sticks
?pieces of wood
,poles
?long, thin objects
clubs
?e.g., golf clubs, hockey sticks
,masts
?on a ship
📝 In Action
Recogimos muchos palos para hacer una fogata.
A1We collected many sticks to make a bonfire.
Los palos de la bandera eran de metal.
A2The flag poles were made of metal.
💡 Grammar Points
Plural Noun Rule
Since the singular noun 'palo' ends in a vowel, the plural is formed simply by adding '-s'.
⭐ Usage Tips
Context is Key
In sports, 'palos' often refers to the actual equipment, like 'palos de golf' (golf clubs).
In some contexts, palos translates to 'blows' or physical hits.
📝 In Action
Le dieron palos por intentar robar.
B1They gave him a beating for trying to steal. (They hit him.)
Recibió varios palos en la cabeza durante la pelea.
B2He received several blows to the head during the fight.
💡 Grammar Points
Using 'Dar' for Action
When talking about giving a blow or hit, Spanish often uses the verb 'dar' (to give): 'dar palos' (to give blows).
⭐ Usage Tips
Figurative Extension
This meaning comes directly from the idea of being hit by a stick ('palo').
When referring to cards, palos means the 'suits' (e.g., hearts, diamonds).
palos(noun)
suits
?in a deck of cards
clubs
?The specific 'clubs' suit in the Spanish deck (bastos)
📝 In Action
Necesitas tres cartas del mismo palo para ganar.
B2You need three cards of the same suit to win.
¿Qué palo es el triunfo en este juego?
B2Which suit is the trump in this game?
❌ Common Pitfalls
Singular vs. Plural
Mistake: "Using 'palos' when referring to a single suit."
Correction: Use the singular 'palo' when referring to one type of suit (e.g., 'el palo de copas'). Use 'palos' when referring to the concept of suits generally (e.g., 'los cuatro palos').
Palos can also be used figuratively to mean 'setbacks' or obstacles encountered in life.
palos(noun)
setbacks
?difficulties or obstacles
,troubles
?problems
hard times
?a period of difficulty
📝 In Action
La empresa ha pasado por unos cuantos palos este año.
C1The company has gone through quite a few setbacks this year.
A pesar de todos los palos, se levantó y siguió adelante.
C2Despite all the troubles, he got up and kept going.
💡 Grammar Points
Figurative Meaning
This meaning is figurative, stemming from the idea of receiving a blow or being hit by something hard—it represents hardship.
⭐ Usage Tips
Formal vs. Informal
While understandable everywhere, using 'palos' for 'troubles' is generally more common in informal speech than in formal written reports, where you would use 'dificultades'.
✏️ Quick Practice
💡 Quick Quiz: palos
Question 1 of 2
Which sentence uses 'palos' to mean 'troubles or hardships'?
📚 More Resources
Frequently Asked Questions
Why is 'palos' used in the plural when talking about problems?
Using the plural 'palos' (like 'blows' in English) emphasizes that the difficulties are multiple or severe. It's an idiomatic way of saying life has dealt you several hard hits.
Does 'palos' always refer to wood?
No. While the original meaning is wood, 'palos' is used for any long, thin object (like metal poles or plastic golf clubs). Figuratively, it means hits, blows, or setbacks, which are not physical objects at all.