Inklingo

sociales

soh-syah-less/soˈθjales/

sociales means social studies in Spanish. It has 2 different meanings depending on context:

social studies, social sciences

Also: social life
NounfA2
SpainLatin America
A high quality illustration of a stylized world globe resting beside an ancient rolled-up parchment scroll, symbolizing the academic subject of social studies.

📝 In Action

Mi materia favorita en el colegio siempre fueron las sociales.

A2

My favorite subject in high school was always social studies.

Necesitas mejorar tus habilidades sociales para conseguir ese trabajo.

B1

You need to improve your social skills to get that job. (short for habilidades sociales)

El profesor de sociales nos puso mucha tarea.

A2

The social studies teacher gave us a lot of homework.

Word Connections

Synonyms

  • historia (history)
  • geografía (geography)

Common Collocations

  • clase de socialessocial studies class
  • ciencias socialessocial sciences

social

Also: societal
A simple illustration depicting a group of four diverse people standing together, smiling and engaged in friendly conversation, representing social interaction.

📝 In Action

Las redes sociales han cambiado la forma en que nos comunicamos.

A1

Social networks have changed the way we communicate.

Hay muchos problemas sociales que debemos resolver.

A2

There are many social problems that we must solve.

Los eventos sociales de la empresa son muy divertidos.

B1

The company's social events are very fun.

Word Connections

Synonyms

  • comunitarios (community-based)
  • públicos (public)

Antonyms

  • individuales (individual)

Common Collocations

  • servicios socialessocial services
  • clase socialessocial classes

Translate to Spanish

Words that translate to "sociales" in Spanish:

socialsocial lifesocial sciencessocial studiessocietal

✏️ Quick Practice

Quick Quiz: sociales

Question 1 of 2

Which sentence uses 'sociales' as a noun (meaning 'social studies')?

📚 More Resources

👥 Word Family
🎵 Rhymes
culturalesmundiales
📚 Etymology

The word comes from the Latin term *socialis*, which meant 'of companionship' or 'allied.' It shares roots with the English word 'society,' emphasizing connection and community.

First recorded: 13th century (in Spanish)

Cognates (Related words)

Italian: socialeFrench: social

💡 Master Spanish

Take your Spanish to the next level. Read 200+ illustrated and narrated Spanish stories tailored to your level with the Inklingo app!

Frequently Asked Questions

Why is 'sociales' sometimes feminine (las sociales) and sometimes masculine (los problemas sociales)?

When 'sociales' is used as a standalone noun for the school subject, it's short for 'las ciencias sociales' (the social sciences), which is feminine. When it's used as a descriptive adjective, it just matches the noun it's next to, like 'los problemas' (masculine plural) or 'las redes' (feminine plural).

¿'Social' or 'sociales'? How do I know which one to use?

If you are describing one thing (singular), use 'social' (e.g., 'un problema social'). If you are describing two or more things (plural), use 'sociales' (e.g., 'dos problemas sociales').