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solos

/SOH-lohs/

alone

A single small child sitting alone on a large wooden bench in a vast, empty green field, emphasizing solitude.

Solos (alone) describes being without companions.

solos(adjective)

mA1

alone

?

without companions

,

by themselves

?

referring to a masculine or mixed group

Also:

solitary

?

when describing items or places

📝 In Action

Los niños se quedaron solos en casa mientras sus padres salían.

A1

The children stayed home alone while their parents went out.

Estuvimos solos en la playa toda la tarde. ¡Qué tranquilidad!

A2

We were alone on the beach all afternoon. What tranquility!

Ellos prefieren trabajar solos; no les gusta el trabajo en equipo.

B1

They prefer to work by themselves; they don't like teamwork.

Word Connections

Synonyms

  • apartados (separated)
  • aislados (isolated)

Antonyms

  • acompañados (accompanied)
  • juntos (together)

Common Collocations

  • se sintieron solos – they felt lonely
  • están solos en esto – they are alone in this (situation)

💡 Grammar Points

Adjective Agreement

As an adjective, 'solos' must match the people or things it describes in number (plural) and gender (masculine or a mixed group).

Ser vs. Estar

We usually use 'estar' (like 'estuvieron solos') because being 'alone' is typically a temporary state or current condition, unlike a permanent personality trait.

❌ Common Pitfalls

Using the wrong gender

Mistake: "Las chicas estaban *solos*."

Correction: Las chicas estaban *solas*. (Match feminine plural subjects with the 'as' ending.)

⭐ Usage Tips

The Accent Check

When used as an adjective (meaning 'alone'), 'solos' never takes an accent mark. The singular adverb 'solo' (meaning 'only') sometimes uses one, but 'solos' never does.

A single musician playing an upright bass under a bright spotlight on a simple stage.

Solos (solos) refers to musical or dance performances done by a single person.

solos(noun)

mB1

solos

?

musical or dance performances

Also:

individual parts

?

performance segments

📝 In Action

Los solos de batería fueron impresionantes en el concierto de anoche.

B1

The drum solos were impressive at last night's concert.

En la coreografía, cada bailarín hizo un momento de solos improvisados.

B2

In the choreography, each dancer did a moment of improvised solos.

Word Connections

Synonyms

Common Collocations

  • tocar solos de guitarra – to play guitar solos
  • los solos de danza – the dance solos

💡 Grammar Points

Use as a Countable Noun

When referring to a performance piece, 'solos' acts just like a regular masculine plural noun, meaning you can count them (uno, dos, tres solos).

⭐ Usage Tips

Context is Key

If you are talking about music or dancing, 'solos' is almost certainly the noun (the performances), not the adjective (alone).

✏️ Quick Practice

💡 Quick Quiz: solos

Question 1 of 2

Which sentence correctly uses 'solos' as an adjective?

📚 More Resources

Word Family

solo(alone / only) - adjective/adverb
sola(alone (feminine singular)) - adjective
solas(alone (feminine plural)) - adjective
soledad(loneliness/solitude) - noun

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the difference between 'solos' and 'solamente'?

'Solamente' is an adverb meaning 'only' or 'just.' 'Solos' is usually an adjective meaning 'alone' (masculine plural). While the singular adverb 'solo' (without an accent) can mean 'only,' 'solos' is reserved for describing groups who are by themselves.

Does 'solos' ever take an accent mark?

No. The accented form, 'sólo,' was used historically for the singular adverb meaning 'only' (to distinguish it from the adjective 'solo' meaning 'alone'). Since 'solos' is plural, it never takes an accent mark.