sola
/soh-lah/
alone
As an adjective, sola means 'alone' (feminine), referring to being by oneself.
sola(Adjective)
alone
?being by oneself, without company
lonely
?when implying sadness from being alone
,on her own
?doing something without help
📝 In Action
Mi hermana vive sola en Madrid.
A1My sister lives alone in Madrid.
Prefiero ver la película sola.
A2I prefer to watch the movie alone.
Se sintió muy sola durante su primer mes en la nueva ciudad.
B1She felt very lonely during her first month in the new city.
💡 Grammar Points
Matching the Noun
sola is the form you use for feminine things or people. If you're talking about something masculine, you need to change it to solo. For example, 'la casa está sola' (the house is alone), but 'el perro está solo' (the dog is alone).
A Temporary Feeling (`estar`) vs. A Description (`ser`)
Usually, you'll use estar sola to say someone is alone right now. 'Ella está sola en la oficina.' (She is alone at the office). Using ser is less common and can describe a lifestyle, like 'Es una mujer sola.' (She is a single woman/a woman who is often alone).
❌ Common Pitfalls
Gender Mix-up
Mistake: "La mujer está solo."
Correction: La mujer está sola. Because 'mujer' (woman) is a feminine word, the word describing her must also end in '-a'.
⭐ Usage Tips
Alone vs. Lonely
Just like in English, sola can mean simply 'by oneself' or it can mean 'lonely'. The feeling often comes from the verb you use with it. Estoy sola just means 'I am alone', while Me siento sola clearly means 'I feel lonely'.
Sola can also mean 'single' or 'only one' (feminine), emphasizing that there is just one item remaining.
📝 In Action
Queda una sola galleta en el paquete.
A2There is a single cookie left in the package.
No he leído ni una sola página del libro.
B1I haven't read a single page of the book.
La sola idea de hablar en público me aterra.
B2The mere idea of speaking in public terrifies me.
💡 Grammar Points
Where You Put It Changes the Meaning
For this meaning, sola usually goes before the noun. una sola respuesta means 'one single answer'. If you put it after, una respuesta sola, it means 'an answer that is by itself', which sounds a bit strange.
❌ Common Pitfalls
Confusing with 'only' (the adverb)
Mistake: "Como sola una manzana."
Correction: Como solo una manzana. When you mean 'only' as in 'I only do this', you use the word `solo` (which never changes). When you mean 'a single apple' (describing the apple), you would say `como una sola manzana`.
⭐ Usage Tips
Adding a Punch
Use this version of sola when you want to add emphasis. Saying 'Tengo una pregunta' is neutral. Saying 'Tengo una sola pregunta' highlights that you have only one and it's important.
✏️ Quick Practice
💡 Quick Quiz: sola
Question 1 of 2
Which sentence means 'I want one single piece of cake'?
📚 More Resources
Frequently Asked Questions
What's the difference between `sola`, `solo`, `solas`, and `solos`?
They all mean 'alone' or 'single', but they change to match the person or thing they describe. Use `sola` for one feminine thing (la chica), `solo` for one masculine thing (el chico), `solas` for multiple feminine things (las chicas), and `solos` for multiple masculine things (los chicos).
When do I use `sola` vs `única`?
They're very similar! Use `sola` when you want to emphasize 'just one' out of a possible many ('una sola galleta' - one single cookie). Use `única` when you mean 'one of a kind' or 'unique' ('mi única hermana' - my only sister).