Inklingo

How to Say "group" in Spanish

The most common Spanish word for “group” is “grupo” — use this as the default translation for any general gathering of people or things, as well as for musical bands or organizational/scientific teams..

grupo🔊A1

Use this as the default translation for any general gathering of people or things, as well as for musical bands or organizational/scientific teams.

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conjunto🔊A2

Use this to refer to a collection of people or objects that form a unified whole or set.

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banda🔊A1

Use this specifically for a musical group or ensemble.

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bloque🔊B2

Use this for a group of countries, organizations, or things that have joined together for a common purpose, often political or economic.

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rueda🔊B1

Use this for a small, informal discussion group, most commonly seen in 'rueda de prensa' (press conference).

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familia🔊B2

Use this metaphorically to describe a set of related things, such as languages or scientific classifications.

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manada🔊C1

Use this to describe a large, often unorganized, and sometimes overwhelming crowd of people or animals.

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English → Spanish

grupo

/GROO-poh//ˈɡɾupo/

NounA1General
Use this as the default translation for any general gathering of people or things, as well as for musical bands or organizational/scientific teams.
A collection of three bright red apples sitting closely together on a flat surface, representing a general group of things.

Examples

Un grupo de turistas espera el autobús.

A group of tourists is waiting for the bus.

Hay un grupo de llaves sobre la mesa.

There is a bunch of keys on the table.

Vamos a trabajar en grupos de tres personas.

We are going to work in groups of three people.

¿Te gusta este grupo de música?

Do you like this music group/band?

One Group IS, Not ARE

Even though a 'grupo' has many members, Spanish treats the word itself as one single thing. So, you use the singular form of the verb. For example, say 'El grupo es grande' (The group is big), not 'El grupo son grande'.

conjunto

/kon-HOON-toh//konˈxunto/

NounA2General
Use this to refer to a collection of people or objects that form a unified whole or set.
Four brightly colored wooden building blocks (cube, pyramid, cylinder, sphere) arranged together, representing a set.

Examples

El conjunto de reglas es simple.

The set of rules is simple.

Necesitamos analizar el conjunto de datos antes de decidir.

We need to analyze the data set before deciding.

El conjunto de edificios antiguos es muy bonito.

The group of old buildings is very beautiful.

Masculine Noun

Remember that 'conjunto' is always masculine, so you must use 'el' or 'un' before it, and any adjectives describing it must also end in -o (e.g., 'el conjunto grande').

banda

/BAHN-dah//ˈbanda/

NounA1General
Use this specifically for a musical group or ensemble.
A small group of musicians playing instruments like a guitar and drums on a stage.

Examples

Mi banda favorita dará un concierto este sábado.

My favorite band is giving a concert this Saturday.

La banda municipal tocó marchas en la plaza principal.

The municipal band played marches in the main square.

Estuve en la banda de la escuela por tres años.

I was in the school band for three years.

Confusing 'banda' and 'pulsera'

Mistake: “Using 'banda' for a wrist accessory.”

Correction: Use 'pulsera' or 'brazalete' for a wristband or arm band, reserving 'banda' for groups or long strips of material.

bloque

BLO-keh/ˈblo.ke/

NounB2Formal
Use this for a group of countries, organizations, or things that have joined together for a common purpose, often political or economic.
A tight cluster of five identical, brightly colored geometric blocks pressed together, symbolizing a cohesive group or alliance.

Examples

Los países formaron un bloque comercial para negociar mejor.

The countries formed a trade bloc to negotiate better.

El bloque opositor votó en contra de la nueva ley.

The opposition bloc voted against the new law.

La computadora procesa los datos en bloques de información.

The computer processes the data in blocks of information.

rueda

RWEH-dahˈrweða

NounB1Formal
Use this for a small, informal discussion group, most commonly seen in 'rueda de prensa' (press conference).
Five diverse children standing close together, holding hands, forming a perfect circle on a green field.

Examples

El periodista preguntó en la rueda de prensa.

The journalist asked a question at the press conference.

Hicimos una rueda para discutir el proyecto.

We formed a circle/group to discuss the project.

¡Invito yo la próxima rueda de cervezas!

I'll buy the next round of beers!

familia

/fa-MEE-lee-ah//faˈmi.lja/

NounB2General
Use this metaphorically to describe a set of related things, such as languages or scientific classifications.
A majestic lion standing side-by-side with a majestic tiger in a jungle clearing, representing a shared scientific classification.

Examples

El español pertenece a la familia de las lenguas romances.

Spanish belongs to the family of Romance languages.

Los leones y los tigres son de la misma familia.

Lions and tigers are from the same family.

Este software viene con una nueva familia de tipografías.

This software comes with a new family of fonts.

manada

/mah-NAH-dah//maˈnaða/

NounC1Informal
Use this to describe a large, often unorganized, and sometimes overwhelming crowd of people or animals.
A dense collection of many stylized, diverse human figures standing shoulder-to-shoulder, illustrating a large, unorganized crowd.

Examples

Una manada de turistas invadió la plaza, gritando y haciendo fotos.

A horde of tourists invaded the square, shouting and taking photos.

Se movieron como una manada, sin escuchar a nadie.

They moved like a pack (or mob), without listening to anyone.

General vs. Specific Groups

The most common mistake is using 'grupo' when a more specific term like 'banda' (music) or 'manada' (large crowd) is more appropriate. Always consider if the context implies a special type of group before defaulting to 'grupo'.

Related Translations

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