Inklingo

How to Say "ordinary" in Spanish

English → Spanish

común

adjectiveA1everyday
Use this word when something is frequently encountered or happens often, implying it is everyday or usual.

Examples

Es muy común ver perros en este parque.

It is very common to see dogs in this park.

comunes

koh-MOO-ness/koˈmunes/

adjectiveA1not special
Use this plural form when referring to things or people that are shared, mutual, or belong to a group in common.
Two different hands, one light-skinned and one dark-skinned, simultaneously reaching into a woven basket overflowing with identical red apples, symbolizing something common and shared.

Examples

Tenemos varios amigos comunes.

We have several mutual friends.

Son problemas comunes en las grandes ciudades.

They are common problems in big cities.

Las áreas comunes del edificio están limpias.

The common areas of the building are clean.

Adjective Agreement

Since 'comunes' ends in -es, it is the plural form. It can describe both masculine plural nouns (problemas comunes) and feminine plural nouns (áreas comunes).

normales

/nor-MAH-les//noɾˈmales/

adjectiveA1commonplace
Use this plural form when describing something as average, typical, or within the expected range, like prices or behavior.
A single, perfectly round and red apple resting on a clean surface, representing something standard or usual.

Examples

Los precios en este mercado son muy normales.

The prices in this market are very normal (average).

Ellas tienen vidas bastante normales, sin grandes dramas.

They have pretty normal lives, without big dramas.

Si ves objetos extraños, no son fenómenos normales.

If you see strange objects, they are not normal phenomena.

Adjective Agreement

Since 'normales' is describing more than one thing, it must match the noun by being plural. 'Normal' is the singular form (for one thing), and 'normales' is the plural form (for two or more things).

Forgetting the Plural

Mistake: “Las cosas son normal.”

Correction: Las cosas son normales. (The adjective must end in '-es' because 'cosas' is plural.)

corriente

koh-rree-EN-teh/koˈrjente/

adjectiveA2not special
Use this word to describe something as standard, basic, or unremarkable, implying it lacks distinction or special qualities.
A plain, unremarkable gray pebble lying on a dirt ground surrounded by many identical common pebbles.

Examples

No es nada especial, solo un coche corriente.

It's nothing special, just an ordinary car.

Su opinión es bastante corriente entre la gente.

His opinion is quite common among people.

Always the Same

As an adjective meaning 'ordinary,' 'corriente' is an adjective that stays the same regardless of whether the noun it describes is masculine or feminine (e.g., 'un coche corriente', 'una persona corriente').

Common confusion between 'común' and 'corriente'

Learners often confuse 'común' and 'corriente' because both can mean 'ordinary.' Remember that 'común' emphasizes frequency or commonality ('it happens often'), while 'corriente' emphasizes lack of specialness or being standard ('it's just a regular one').

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