A colorful illustration of one person standing alone, representing an individual.

persona

/per-SOH-nah/

NounfA1

person?a human being

Also:individual?a single human being as distinct from a group,character?in a story, play, or film

📝 In Action

Hay una persona en la puerta.

There is a person at the door.

Es una persona muy amable.

He/She is a very kind person.

Necesitamos tres personas para el equipo.

We need three people for the team.

El director es la persona a cargo.

The director is the person in charge.

La historia se cuenta desde la perspectiva de una sola persona.

The story is told from the perspective of a single character.

Word Connections

Synonyms

individuo (individual)
ser (being)
sujeto (subject, individual)

Antonyms

grupo (group)
multitud (crowd)

Common Collocations

buena persona – good person
mala persona – bad person
en persona – in person
tercera persona – third person (in grammar)

💡 Grammar Points

Always Feminine

The word 'persona' is always treated as a feminine word in grammar, even if you're talking about a man. This means you always use 'la', 'una', and any describing words must also be in their feminine form (like 'alta' instead of 'alto').

❌ Common Pitfalls

Using the Wrong Gender

Mistake: "Mi padre es un persona muy inteligente."

Correction: Mi padre es una persona muy inteligente. The word 'persona' itself is always feminine, so you must use 'una', not 'un'.

Incorrect Adjective Agreement

Mistake: "El profesor es una persona muy simpático."

Correction: El profesor es una persona muy simpática. Because 'persona' is feminine, the describing word ('simpática') also needs to be feminine to match it.

⭐ Usage Tips

Counting People

While English uses 'people' for the plural, Spanish often just uses the plural of 'persona' ('personas'). For example, 'Hay cinco personas' means 'There are five people'.

Formal vs. Informal

Using 'persona' can sometimes sound a bit more formal or general than simply saying 'un hombre' (a man) or 'una mujer' (a woman). It's a great neutral term to use when gender isn't known or important.

✏️ Quick Practice

💡 Quick Quiz: persona

Question 1 of 1

Which sentence correctly describes a tall man using the word 'persona'?

📚 More Resources

Word Family

personal(personal) - adjective

personalidad(personality) - noun

personaje(character (in a story)) - noun

personificar(to personify) - verb

Frequently Asked Questions

Why is 'persona' always feminine, even if I'm talking about a man?

In Spanish, all nouns have a set gender that doesn't change. It's a grammar rule, not about the actual gender of the person. Think of it like 'table' ('mesa'), which is feminine for no special reason. So, 'persona' is always 'la persona' or 'una persona', and any describing words must match it, like 'una persona amable' (a kind person).

What's the difference between 'gente' and 'personas'?

'Personas' is the plural of 'persona' and is used to talk about a specific, countable number of people ('tres personas'). 'Gente' means 'people' in a general, uncountable sense ('mucha gente' - a lot of people). A good tip: if you can put a number in front of it, use 'personas'.