Inklingo

How to Say "parties" in Spanish

English → Spanish

fiestas

fee-es-tasˈfjestas

nounA1general
Use 'fiestas' when talking about social gatherings, celebrations, or parties in the common sense of the word.
Three stylized figures wearing party hats are celebrating by throwing colorful confetti.

Examples

Siempre hacemos muchas fiestas en el verano.

We always have many parties in the summer.

¿Vas a ir a las fiestas de cumpleaños de Ana?

Are you going to Ana's birthday parties?

Tuvimos que cancelar las fiestas por la lluvia.

We had to cancel the celebrations because of the rain.

It's Always Feminine

Remember that 'fiesta' is a feminine word, so when you make it plural ('fiestas'), any describing words (adjectives) or articles must also be feminine plural: 'las fiestas grandes' (the big parties).

Using 'party' as a verb

Mistake: “Vamos a fiestar.”

Correction: Vamos a ir de fiesta or Vamos a festejar. ('Fiestas' is the noun, not the verb to party.)

partes

PAR-tessˈpaɾ.tes

nounA1general
Use 'partes' when referring to components or pieces of something, especially in a mechanical or legal contract context.
Four brightly colored, distinct geometric puzzle pieces lying scattered on a wooden surface, representing components of a whole.

Examples

El coche necesita partes nuevas.

The car needs new parts.

Me gustan todas las partes de la película.

I like all the parts of the movie.

Ambas partes están de acuerdo con los términos.

Both sides agree with the terms.

Always Feminine

'Partes' comes from the word 'la parte', which is a feminine noun. So, even though it ends in '-es', you should use feminine words like 'las' or 'unas' with it: 'las partes', not 'los partes'.

Party vs. Parts

Mistake: “Voy a dos partes este fin de semana.”

Correction: Voy a dos fiestas este fin de semana. 'Partes' means pieces or sides. For a celebration, always use 'fiesta'.

sujetos

soo-HEH-tohssuˈxetos

nounB1formal
Use 'sujetos' when referring to the individuals involved or subject to a legal or contractual agreement, like participants in a study.
Three stylized, simple figures standing on a low platform under a bright spotlight, representing subjects of a study or experiment.

Examples

Los sujetos de la investigación deben firmar este formulario.

The subjects of the investigation must sign this form.

Había dos sujetos sospechosos merodeando por la calle.

There were two suspicious characters loitering on the street.

Los sujetos activos en la economía son los consumidores y las empresas.

The active parties in the economy are consumers and businesses.

Masculine Plural Noun

This word is the plural form of 'sujeto' (a person or subject). Use it to refer to multiple people, especially in official language.

Confusing Noun and Adjective

Mistake: “Using 'estos sujetos están sujetos' to mean 'these people are held' (redundancy).”

Correction: While grammatically correct, it sounds repetitive. Try 'Estas personas están atadas' (These people are tied/held).

lados

lah-dohsˈlaðos

nounB1general
Use 'lados' when referring to the opposing sides or parties involved in a conflict, negotiation, or dispute.
Two distinct groups of cartoon figures facing each other across a table, symbolizing opposing parties in a negotiation.

Examples

Los dos lados de la discusión no pueden llegar a un acuerdo.

The two sides of the discussion cannot reach an agreement.

Necesitamos escuchar a ambos lados antes de juzgar.

We need to listen to both parties before judging.

Figurative Use

'Lados' is often used figuratively to mean 'viewpoints' or 'groups' when discussing disagreements, much like 'sides' in English.

Fiestas vs. Partes

The most common confusion is between 'fiestas' (social events) and 'partes' (components/contractual elements). Learners often mistakenly use 'fiestas' when they mean 'parts' of a machine or 'parties' to a contract, which are distinct concepts in Spanish.

Related Translations

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