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How to Say "keys" in Spanish

English → Spanish

llaves

YAH-behs (or LYAH-behs)/ˈʝaβes/

nounA1general
Use this word for the metal objects used to open or lock doors, cars, or other mechanisms.
A small bunch of shiny silver and brass keys hanging from a simple metal keyring, used for doors or vehicles.

Examples

¿Tienes mis llaves del coche?

Do you have my car keys?

Perdí las llaves de la casa en el parque.

I lost the house keys in the park.

Ella siempre deja las llaves colgadas junto a la puerta.

She always leaves the keys hanging next to the door.

Always Feminine

Even though 'llaves' ends in -es, the singular word 'llave' is feminine, so you must always use feminine words like 'las' or 'mis' with it.

Mixing Gender

Mistake: “El llave (Incorrect male article)”

Correction: La llave (It must be feminine).

botones

boh-TOH-nes/boˈto.nes/

nounA1general
Use this word for the small, often round, pieces on clothing that fasten them, or for the individual pressable elements on devices like keyboards or phones.
A collection of colorful, round sewing buttons of various sizes lying on a flat surface.

Examples

Necesito coser dos botones nuevos a mi chaqueta.

I need to sew two new buttons onto my jacket.

Hay que presionar los botones grandes para iniciar la lavadora.

You have to press the large buttons to start the washing machine.

Plural Form

This is the simple plural of the masculine noun 'botón'. When a word ends in a consonant like 'n', you add '-es' to make it plural.

Confusing Gender

Mistake: “La botones”

Correction: Los botones. Remember that 'botón' is masculine, so use 'los' for the plural.

Confusing 'Keys' for Doors vs. Buttons

The most frequent error is using 'botones' when you mean 'llaves' for doors or cars. Always remember that 'llaves' are for locks and ignition, while 'botones' are for fastening clothes or pressing on electronics.

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