Inklingo

How to Say "crowd" in Spanish

The most common Spanish word for “crowd” is “gente” — use 'gente' when you simply mean a large number of people gathered together, without any specific connotation of excitement or disorder.

gente🔊A1

Use 'gente' when you simply mean a large number of people gathered together, without any specific connotation of excitement or disorder.

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multitud🔊B1

Choose 'multitud' for a large, often excited or boisterous, group of people gathered in one place, especially at an event.

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aficiónB1

Use 'afición' specifically for the fans or supporters of a sports team or a particular club.

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masa🔊B2

Employ 'masa' to refer to a large, undifferentiated group of people, often implying a passive audience or the public in general.

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atajo🔊B2

Use 'atajo' to describe a disorderly or disorganized group of people, often with a negative connotation.

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rebaño🔊B2

Select 'rebaño' when you want to describe a group of people who follow others blindly without independent thought, like a herd.

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tribu🔊B2

Use 'tribu' to refer to a social group or a close-knit circle of friends or followers, often implying shared interests or identity.

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bola🔊C1

Use 'bola' to refer to a group of people, often one that is associated with trouble or a messy situation.

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fauna🔊C1

Employ 'fauna' to describe a peculiar or distinct collection of characters or people often found in a specific environment.

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English → Spanish

gente

HEN-tehˈxente

NounA1General
Use 'gente' when you simply mean a large number of people gathered together, without any specific connotation of excitement or disorder.
A diverse group of people of different ages and ethnicities mingling in a sunny park, representing 'gente' as people in general.

Examples

Hay mucha gente en la playa hoy.

There are a lot of people at the beach today.

La gente de aquí es muy amable.

The people from here are very kind.

No me importa lo que piense la gente.

I don't care what people think.

A Group, Not Individuals

Think of 'gente' like 'the crowd' or 'the public' in English. Even though it means many people, the word itself is treated as one single, feminine thing. So, you always say 'la gente'.

Using Plural Verbs

Mistake: “La gente son interesantes.”

Correction: La gente es interesante. Because 'gente' is a singular word, the verb connected to it must also be singular ('es', not 'son').

multitud

mool-tee-TOODmultiˈtuð

nounB1General
Choose 'multitud' for a large, often excited or boisterous, group of people gathered in one place, especially at an event.
A dense gathering of many stylized, colorful human figures standing shoulder-to-shoulder, representing a crowd.

Examples

La multitud gritaba de emoción cuando el equipo ganó.

The crowd was shouting with excitement when the team won.

La policía tuvo que dispersar a la multitud de manifestantes.

The police had to disperse the crowd of protesters.

Había una multitud tan grande que era imposible caminar.

There was such a large crowd that it was impossible to walk.

Singular Noun, Plural Idea

Even though 'multitud' refers to many people, it is a single, feminine noun, so you use 'la' and the verbs are conjugated in the singular form (e.g., 'La multitud estaba feliz').

afición

nounB1Sports/Clubs
Use 'afición' specifically for the fans or supporters of a sports team or a particular club.

Examples

La afición del Real Madrid celebró el título en las calles.

The Real Madrid fans celebrated the title in the streets.

masa

MAH-sahˈma.sa

nounB2General/Sociology
Employ 'masa' to refer to a large, undifferentiated group of people, often implying a passive audience or the public in general.
A vast, tightly packed crowd composed of countless tiny, colorful, simplified human figures stretching into the background.

Examples

La televisión tiene una gran influencia sobre la masa.

Television has a great influence over the masses (the public).

Se formó una masa de manifestantes frente al edificio del gobierno.

A crowd of protestors formed in front of the government building.

Singular Noun, Plural Idea

When 'masa' means 'the masses' or 'the public,' it is treated as a singular noun, even though it refers to many people. Use singular verbs: 'La masa piensa...' (The masses think...).

atajo

ah-TAH-hoaˈtaxo

nounB2Informal/Negative
Use 'atajo' to describe a disorderly or disorganized group of people, often with a negative connotation.
A small group of colorful balloons tied together with a single string.

Examples

¡Eran un atajo de mentirosos!

They were a bunch of liars!

Vimos un atajo de cabras cruzando el monte.

We saw a pack of goats crossing the hill.

Negative Connotation

When used with people, this word is almost always an insult, similar to calling a group a 'pack' or a 'gang'.

Careful with context

Mistake: “Mi atajo de amigos es bueno.”

Correction: Mi grupo de amigos es bueno. (Using 'atajo' here sounds like you are insulting your friends).

rebaño

re-BA-nyoreˈbaɲo

nounB2Figurative/Negative
Select 'rebaño' when you want to describe a group of people who follow others blindly without independent thought, like a herd.
A line of identical cartoon people wearing the same gray suits walking in a single file line following the person in front of them.

Examples

No seas parte del rebaño; piensa por ti mismo.

Don't be part of the herd; think for yourself.

A veces es más fácil seguir al rebaño que tomar decisiones propias.

Sometimes it's easier to follow the crowd than to make your own decisions.

Los políticos a veces tratan a los ciudadanos como a un rebaño.

Politicians sometimes treat citizens like a herd of sheep.

Metaphorical use

This word carries a negative tone when applied to people, implying they are not thinking for themselves.

Plural vs Singular

tribu

TREE-booˈtɾiβu

nounB2Informal/Social
Use 'tribu' to refer to a social group or a close-knit circle of friends or followers, often implying shared interests or identity.
A dense mass of many indistinct people packed tightly together, forming a large, colorful crowd filling a public space.

Examples

Me voy de vacaciones con mi tribu de amigos de la universidad.

I'm going on vacation with my crew of friends from the university.

Cada uno tiene su propia tribu urbana: los góticos, los hipsters...

Everyone has their own urban tribe (subculture): the Goths, the hipsters...

Metaphorical Use

In modern Spanish, 'tribu' often implies a sense of deep loyalty and shared identity, much like the English phrase 'my people' or 'my crew'.

bola

boh-lahˈbo.la

nounC1Informal/Negative
Use 'bola' to refer to a group of people, often one that is associated with trouble or a messy situation.
A chaotic tangle of thick, brightly colored yarn and rope creating a massive, complicated knot.

Examples

No te metas en esa bola de problemas; es mejor ignorarlos.

Don't get involved in that mess of problems; it's better to ignore them.

Toda la situación se hizo una bola, y nadie sabía cómo resolverlo.

The whole situation got complicated (literally: became a ball), and nobody knew how to solve it.

Translating Idioms

Mistake: “Using 'Hacer una bola' to mean 'to make a ball for a game.'”

Correction: When talking about situations, 'Hacerse una bola' means the situation got messy or complicated. For a physical ball, use 'hacer una pelota'.

fauna

fow-nahˈfawna

nounC1Figurative/Informal
Employ 'fauna' to describe a peculiar or distinct collection of characters or people often found in a specific environment.
A diverse group of quirky people standing together, such as a chef, a painter, and a musician.

Examples

Hay una fauna muy extraña en este bar nocturno.

There's a very strange crowd in this night bar.

Me gusta observar la fauna urbana en el parque.

I like to observe the urban characters in the park.

Metaphorical Use

When used for people, it's often used to imply that the group is diverse, colorful, or sometimes even a bit wild or messy.

General vs. Specific Crowds

The most common mistake is using a general term like 'gente' or 'multitud' when a more specific word like 'afición' (fans) or 'rebaño' (followers) would be more accurate. Always consider the specific nature of the group before choosing your Spanish word.

Related Translations

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