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tres

/tres/

Three bright red apples sitting side-by-side on a wooden table.

Just like in English, 'tres' tells you 'how many.' Here, you see 'tres manzanas' (three apples).

tres (Adjective)

A1
three?the number used to count items

📝 In Action

Tengo tres hermanos.

A1

I have three brothers.

Necesitamos tres sillas más.

A1

We need three more chairs.

La reunión es en tres días.

A2

The meeting is in three days.

Word Connections

Common Collocations

  • a las tres – at three o'clock
  • tres veces – three times

Idioms & Expressions

  • buscarle tres pies al gato – to overcomplicate things; to look for trouble where there is none

💡 Grammar Points

Always Stays the Same

'Tres' doesn't change, no matter what you're describing. It's always 'tres gatos' (for masculine things) and 'tres casas' (for feminine things).

⭐ Usage Tips

Counting and Times

You can use 'tres' for counting things ('tres libros') or telling time ('a las tres').

A large, stylized wooden number 3 painted blue, standing on a white surface.

Here, 'tres' is used as a noun—the name of the number itself, just like saying 'the number three' in English.

tres (Noun)

mA1
three?the concept or numeral '3'

📝 In Action

Mi número de la suerte es el tres.

A1

My lucky number is three.

Saca un tres de la baraja.

A2

Draw a three from the deck (of cards).

El niño ya sabe escribir el tres.

A2

The child already knows how to write the number three.

Word Connections

Common Collocations

  • el número tres – the number three

💡 Grammar Points

Using 'el' with 'tres'

When you talk about the number 'tres' as a thing itself, you usually put 'el' in front of it, like 'el tres'.

✏️ Quick Practice

💡 Quick Quiz: tres

Question 1 of 1

Which sentence uses 'tres' as a noun (the name of the number)?

📚 More Resources

Word Family

tercero(third) - adjective
tercio(a third (fraction)) - noun
trío(trio) - noun
trece(thirteen) - adjective/noun

Frequently Asked Questions

Does 'tres' ever change for masculine or feminine words?

No, 'tres' is one of the easy ones! It always stays 'tres', whether you're talking about 'tres hombres' (three men) or 'tres mujeres' (three women).

How is 'tres' different from 'tercero'?

'Tres' is for counting how many things there are (one, two, three). 'Tercero' is for putting things in order (first, second, third). So you would say 'Tengo tres libros' (I have three books), but 'Vivo en el tercer piso' (I live on the third floor).