un
“un” means “a” in Spanish. It has 2 different meanings depending on context:
a, an
📝 In Action
Tengo un perro.
A1I have a dog.
Necesito un bolígrafo nuevo.
A1I need a new pen.
Era un día soleado y perfecto.
A2It was a sunny and perfect day.
📝 In Action
Solo quiero un taco, por favor.
A1I only want one taco, please.
Queda un asiento libre.
A2There is one free seat left.
Contamos: un, dos, tres...
A1We count: one, two, three...
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Quick Quiz: un
Question 1 of 3
Which sentence is correct?
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👥 Word Family▼
🎵 Rhymes▼
📚 Etymology▼
Comes directly from the Latin word 'ūnus', which meant 'one'. Over time, it kept its meaning as the number 'one' and also took on the job of being the go-to word for 'a' or 'an' in Spanish.
First recorded: Before the 12th century
Cognates (Related words)
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Frequently Asked Questions
Why do you use 'un' before some feminine words like 'agua' (water)?
Great question! This is a special rule to make pronunciation smoother. Feminine words that start with a stressed 'a' sound, like 'agua' or 'águila' (eagle), use 'un' in the singular to avoid the 'a-a' sound clash of 'una agua'. It's still a feminine word, so in the plural, it goes back to normal: 'unas aguas'.
What's the difference between 'un' and 'uno'?
Think of 'uno' as the full name for the number 'one'. You use it when you're just counting ('uno, dos, tres...') or when it's not directly in front of a masculine noun. 'Un' is the shortened version you must use when it comes right before a masculine noun, like 'un coche' (one car).
Is 'un' ever used for plural things?
No, 'un' is strictly for one, single, masculine thing. For multiple masculine things, you'd use its plural partner, 'unos', which means 'some' or 'a few' (e.g., 'unos libros' - some books).