vestido
/bes-TEE-doh/
dress
The noun vestido refers to an article of clothing, typically a dress or gown.
vestido(Noun)
dress
?an article of clothing
gown
?for a more formal or elegant dress
,attire
?in a more general or formal sense
📝 In Action
Ella compró un vestido rojo para la fiesta.
A1She bought a red dress for the party.
El vestido de novia era espectacular.
A2The wedding dress was spectacular.
Prefiero los vestidos de verano porque son más cómodos.
B1I prefer summer dresses because they are more comfortable.
💡 Grammar Points
It's Masculine!
Even though a 'dress' is an item typically worn by women, the Spanish word for it, 'vestido', is masculine. Always remember to say 'el vestido' (the dress) or 'un vestido' (a dress).
❌ Common Pitfalls
Gender Mix-up
Mistake: "Me gusta mucho la vestido que llevas."
Correction: Me gusta mucho el vestido que llevas. Because 'vestido' is a masculine noun, you need to use the masculine article 'el'.
⭐ Usage Tips
General 'Attire'
In more formal or literary contexts, 'vestido' can refer to clothing or attire in general, not just a dress. For example, 'el vestido militar' means 'military dress' or 'uniform'.
As an adjective or past participle, vestido means 'dressed' or 'clad', describing the state of wearing clothes.
📝 In Action
El niño ya está vestido para ir a la escuela.
A2The boy is already dressed to go to school.
Ella siempre va muy bien vestida a la oficina.
B1She always goes very well-dressed to the office.
Las niñas, vestidas con sus uniformes, jugaban en el patio.
B2The girls, dressed in their uniforms, were playing in the yard.
💡 Grammar Points
Match the Ending
When used to describe someone, 'vestido' must change its ending to match who you're talking about. Use 'vestido' for a male, 'vestida' for a female, 'vestidos' for a group of males or a mixed group, and 'vestidas' for a group of females.
Always Use with 'Estar'
To say someone 'is dressed', you always use the verb 'estar' (e.g., 'él está vestido'). This is because being dressed is a state or condition, which is what 'estar' is for.
❌ Common Pitfalls
Forgetting to Change the Ending
Mistake: "La mujer está bien vestido."
Correction: La mujer está bien vestida. The ending needs to change to '-a' to match 'la mujer', which is feminine.
⭐ Usage Tips
Describing 'How' Someone is Dressed
You can easily describe what someone is wearing by adding 'de' after 'vestido/a'. For example, 'Él está vestido de pirata' (He's dressed as a pirate) or 'Ella está vestida de azul' (She's dressed in blue).
✏️ Quick Practice
💡 Quick Quiz: vestido
Question 1 of 2
Which sentence correctly uses 'vestido' as an adjective describing a female?
📚 More Resources
Frequently Asked Questions
Why is 'vestido' (a dress) masculine if women wear it?
This is a great question that confuses many learners! The gender of nouns in Spanish is grammatical and doesn't have to match the gender of the people who use the item. It's just a rule of the language you have to memorize. Think of 'la corbata' (the tie), which is feminine even though it's typically worn by men.
What's the difference between 'vestido' and 'ropa'?
'Ropa' is the general word for 'clothes' or 'clothing'. 'Vestido' can mean 'a dress' specifically, or sometimes 'attire' more formally. So, a 'vestido' is a type of 'ropa'.