rey
/rrey/
king
The primary meaning of rey is a king, a male monarch.
rey(Noun)
king
?a male monarch or ruler
monarch
?formal term for a ruler
,sovereign
?a supreme ruler
📝 In Action
El rey de España se llama Felipe VI.
A1The king of Spain is named Felipe VI.
La corona del rey era de oro puro.
A2The king's crown was made of pure gold.
Los Reyes Magos traen regalos a los niños el 6 de enero.
B1The Three Wise Men (literally, 'Magic Kings') bring gifts to children on January 6th.
💡 Grammar Points
Feminine and Plural Forms
The female version is 'reina' (queen). For the plural, 'reyes' can mean 'kings,' but it can also mean 'the king and queen' together, just like 'padres' can mean 'parents'.
❌ Common Pitfalls
Capitalization
Mistake: "El Rey de España es Felipe. / El rey Felipe es de España."
Correction: Use a capital letter for 'Rey' only when it's used as a formal title without the name (e.g., 'el Rey viajará...') or right before the name ('el Rey Felipe VI'). In general conversation, it's lowercase: 'El rey vive en un palacio'.
⭐ Usage Tips
'Los Reyes' for a Royal Couple
When you hear 'los reyes de España', it almost always refers to the king and queen together. It's a handy shortcut for referring to the royal couple.
Rey is also the word for the king piece in games like chess.
📝 In Action
En ajedrez, si pierdes tu rey, pierdes el juego.
A2In chess, if you lose your king, you lose the game.
Tengo un par de reyes en mi mano.
B1I have a pair of kings in my hand.
⭐ Usage Tips
Context is Key
When you hear 'rey' while people are talking about 'ajedrez' (chess) or 'cartas' (cards), they're talking about the game piece, not a person.
Figuratively, rey means someone who is the best or a master in their field.
rey(Noun)
king
?figurative, the best or most important
master
?someone highly skilled
,mogul
?an important or powerful person in an industry
📝 In Action
Michael Jordan es el rey del baloncesto.
B1Michael Jordan is the king of basketball.
Mi abuelo es el rey de la paella; nadie la hace mejor.
B2My grandfather is the king of paella; nobody makes it better.
Ese niño es el rey de la casa, todos hacen lo que él quiere.
B2That kid is the king of the house, everyone does what he wants.
⭐ Usage Tips
Not a Real King!
This use is symbolic. It's a compliment to say someone is the best at something, from cooking to sports. The structure is often 'el rey de...' followed by the thing they're best at.
✏️ Quick Practice
💡 Quick Quiz: rey
Question 1 of 1
Which sentence uses 'rey' in a figurative way, to mean 'the best at something'?
📚 More Resources
Frequently Asked Questions
Why is 'los reyes' used for 'the king and queen'?
In Spanish, when you have a group of mixed-gender nouns, you use the masculine plural form. So, 'un rey' (a king) plus 'una reina' (a queen) becomes 'los reyes'. It works the same way for 'padres' (parents, or just fathers) and 'hijos' (children, or just sons).
Do I always capitalize 'rey'?
No, usually it's lowercase, like any other common noun (e.g., 'el rey es rico'). You only capitalize it when it's used like a name in a formal title, such as 'el Rey Felipe VI' or when referring to the current monarch without their name, 'el Rey dará un discurso'.