principales
“principales” means “main” in Spanish. It has 2 different meanings depending on context:
main, principal
Also: major, chief
📝 In Action
Estas son las razones principales de mi decisión.
A1These are the main reasons for my decision.
Necesitamos enfocarnos en los problemas principales ahora.
A2We need to focus on the principal problems now.
Hay tres ingredientes principales en esta receta.
B1There are three major ingredients in this recipe.
the main ones, the leaders
Also: main floor
📝 In Action
Los principales de la compañía asistieron a la reunión.
B2The leaders of the company attended the meeting.
De todos los puntos, solo cubrimos los principales.
B1Out of all the points, we only covered the main ones.
Mi abuela vive en los principales del edificio.
B2My grandmother lives on the main floor of the building. (Common in Spain)
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✏️ Quick Practice
Quick Quiz: principales
Question 1 of 2
Which sentence uses 'principales' as an adjective?
📚 More Resources
👥 Word Family▼
📚 Etymology▼
The word comes directly from the Latin word *principalis*, which meant 'first in rank' or 'chief'. It shares roots with the word 'prince' (príncipe), highlighting the idea of being the first or most important.
First recorded: Medieval Latin
Cognates (Related words)
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Frequently Asked Questions
Is 'principales' masculine or feminine?
'Principales' is neutral in gender. It is the plural form of 'principal' and is used to describe both masculine nouns (los problemas principales) and feminine nouns (las ciudades principales). You only need to worry about making sure the noun is plural.
What is the difference between 'principal' and 'principales'?
The difference is simply number. 'Principal' is used for one thing (singular), and 'principales' is used for two or more things (plural). The meaning ('main' or 'chief') stays the same.