How to Say "bars" in Spanish
The most common Spanish word for “bars” is “bares” — use 'bares' when referring to establishments where people go to drink alcoholic beverages and sometimes eat.
bares
BAH-rehsˈbaɾes
Examples
Vamos a tomar algo a ese bar nuevo.
Let's go grab a drink at that new bar.
Hay muchos bares en el centro de la ciudad.
There are many bars in the city center.
Nos gusta ir de bares los fines de semana.
We like to go bar-hopping on the weekends.
La presión de los neumáticos debe ser de dos bares.
The tire pressure should be two bars.
Making Words Plural
When a Spanish word ends in a consonant like 'r', you add '-es' to the end to talk about more than one. That's why 'bar' becomes 'bares'.
Technical Units
Just like the drinking establishment, the scientific unit 'bar' also adds '-es' to become plural.
Avoid the English Plural
Mistake: “los bars”
Correction: los bares
barras
BAH-rrasˈbaras
Examples
Los niños se agarraron a las barras del parque infantil.
The children held onto the bars of the playground.
Las barras de la jaula eran de acero.
The bars of the cage were made of steel.
Siempre desayunamos en la barra de la cafetería.
We always have breakfast at the café counter.
Necesitas dos barras de chocolate para esta receta.
You need two bars of chocolate for this recipe.
Gender Reminder
Remember that 'barras' is the plural of 'barra,' which is feminine (la barra). You must use feminine adjectives with it.
reja
RE-hahˈrexa
Examples
El ladrón intentó entrar por la reja de la ventana.
The burglar tried to enter through the window grille.
Mi abuela puso rejas en las ventanas por seguridad.
My grandmother put grilles on the windows for security.
El jardín está protegido por una reja de hierro muy antigua.
The garden is protected by a very old iron railing.
El criminal pasará muchos años tras las rejas.
The criminal will spend many years behind bars.
Gender Identification
This word is a feminine noun. You must use 'la' or 'una' with it (la reja). Even though it describes hard metal, the word itself follows the standard 'a' ending for feminine words.
Plural for Collective Use
While 'reja' can mean one single grille, Spanish speakers often use the plural 'rejas' to describe the general concept of window bars or prison bars.
Reja vs. Valla
Mistake: “Using 'reja' for a wooden picket fence.”
Correction: Use 'valla' for a general fence and 'reja' specifically for metal bars or wrought-iron structures.
bares
Examples
La presión del neumático es de 35 bares.
The tire pressure is 35 bars.
Bares vs. Barras
Related Translations
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