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A single pair of neatly folded blue jeans, illustrating the concept of pants.

pantalones

pahn-tah-LOH-nays

nounmA1
pants?General term for clothing covering the legs,trousers?Commonly used in British English

📝 In Action

Me compré unos pantalones negros para el trabajo.

A1

I bought myself some black pants for work.

Sus pantalones favoritos están en la lavadora.

A2

His favorite trousers are in the washing machine.

Necesitas unos pantalones más formales para la reunión.

B1

You need more formal pants for the meeting.

Word Connections

Common Collocations

  • pantalones cortos – shorts
  • pantalones vaqueros – jeans (denim pants)
  • par de pantalones – a pair of pants

Idioms & Expressions

  • tener los pantalones bien puestos – to be very brave or decisive (literally: to have one's pants on correctly)

💡 Grammar Points

Mandatory Plural

Even when referring to a single garment, 'pantalones' is almost always used in the plural. You will always say 'los pantalones' (the pants) or 'unos pantalones' (some pants).

Gender and Articles

Since it is a masculine noun, use the plural masculine article 'los' (the) or 'unos' (some/a pair of) before the word.

❌ Common Pitfalls

Using the Singular

Mistake: "Compré un pantalón azul."

Correction: Compré unos pantalones azules. (While 'pantalón' exists, using the plural is much more common and sounds natural.)

⭐ Usage Tips

Specifying 'A Pair'

If you need to emphasize that it is only one item, you can say 'un par de pantalones' (a pair of pants), but usually, 'unos pantalones' is enough.

✏️ Quick Practice

💡 Quick Quiz: pantalones

Question 1 of 1

Which phrase correctly asks about the size of one pair of trousers?

📚 More Resources

Word Family

pantalón(pant (singular, less common usage)) - noun
pantaloneta(shorts (often athletic)) - noun

Frequently Asked Questions

Why is 'pantalones' plural in Spanish when English often uses 'a pair of pants' or just 'pants'?

Many words for two-legged garments (like trousers, scissors, and glasses) are plural in both Spanish and English, reflecting that they cover two separate parts (legs). In Spanish, this mandatory plural usage stuck even when discussing a single item.

Can I ever use the singular form 'pantalón'?

Yes, but it is much less common in daily speech. 'Pantalones' is the standard, natural way to refer to the garment in most Spanish-speaking regions.