How to Say "bears" in Spanish
The most common Spanish word for “bears” is “osos” — use 'osos' when referring to the large, furry mammals, both in singular and plural forms..
osos
/oh-sohs//ˈo.sos/
Examples
Los osos polares viven en climas muy fríos.
Polar bears live in very cold climates.
Vimos dos osos pardos buscando comida en el bosque.
We saw two brown bears looking for food in the forest.
Mi hermana colecciona osos de peluche de todos los tamaños.
My sister collects teddy bears of all sizes.
Plural Formation
This word is the plural form of the masculine noun 'oso' (bear). To make a noun plural in Spanish, you usually just add an '-s' if it ends in a vowel, like here.
Confusing Gender
Mistake: “Using 'las osos' or 'unas osos'.”
Correction: Since 'oso' is a masculine noun, its plural form 'osos' must be used with masculine articles: 'los osos' (the bears) or 'unos osos' (some bears).
aguanta
ah-GWAHN-tah/aˈɣwan.ta/
Examples
Mi abuela aguanta el calor del verano sin aire acondicionado.
My grandmother endures the summer heat without air conditioning.
Esta viga aguanta todo el techo de la casa.
This beam supports the entire roof of the house.
¡Aguanta la caja con las dos manos o se cae!
Hold the box with both hands or it will fall!
Ella no aguanta el ruido de la construcción.
She doesn't tolerate the construction noise.
Present Tense vs. Command
The form 'aguanta' is used both when talking about what a third person (he/she/it) does now, and as a direct command to you (tú).
Handling Discomfort
When talking about physical or emotional pain, 'aguantar' is the go-to verb for 'to bear' or 'to tolerate.' It implies active resilience.
sufre
SOO-freh/ˈsu.fɾe/
Examples
Ella sufre mucho cuando hace frío.
She suffers a lot when it is cold.
El negocio sufre una gran pérdida este año.
The business is undergoing a great loss this year.
Usted sufre de insomnio, ¿verdad?
You suffer from insomnia, right?
Dual Role of 'Sufre'
'Sufre' is used to talk about what 'he,' 'she,' 'it,' or 'you (formal)' does right now (Present Tense), OR it is used to give a direct, informal command to 'you (tú)'.
Meaning 'Undergo'
When talking about objects or situations, 'sufrir' often means 'to undergo' or 'to sustain,' especially when describing damage or changes (e.g., 'The house suffers damage').
Confusing the Command
Mistake: “Saying '¡Tú sufres las consecuencias!' (Using the indicative form for a command)”
Correction: The informal command is simply '¡Sufre!' (using the third person singular form). The 'tú' form with the 's' is only for stating facts.
Animal vs. Enduring
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