Inklingo

How to Say "people" in Spanish

The most common Spanish word for “people” is “gente” — use 'gente' for a general, collective group of people, like a crowd, or when referring to 'one's people' like family or friends..

gente🔊A1

Use 'gente' for a general, collective group of people, like a crowd, or when referring to 'one's people' like family or friends.

{ui.learnMore}
personas🔊A1

Use 'personas' when referring to human beings in a general or countable way, similar to 'individuals' but more common.

{ui.learnMore}
señoresA2

Use 'señores' as a polite way to address a group, similar to 'ladies and gentlemen' or 'folks'.

{ui.learnMore}
humanos🔊A1

Use 'humanos' when referring to the human species in a general, biological, or philosophical sense.

{ui.learnMore}
hombres🔊B1

Use 'hombres' to refer to mankind or humanity as a whole, often in historical or philosophical contexts.

{ui.learnMore}
pueblo🔊B1

Use 'pueblo' to refer to a nation, an ethnic group, or a community with shared identity and culture.

{ui.learnMore}
mundo🔊B1

Use 'mundo' when 'people' is used to mean 'the world' in a general sense, implying all people everywhere.

{ui.learnMore}
individuos🔊B1

Use 'individuos' when emphasizing distinct, countable units within a larger group, often in studies or formal reports.

{ui.learnMore}
tíosB1

Use 'tíos' as informal slang, primarily in Spain, to refer to a group of friends or 'guys'.

{ui.learnMore}
demos🔊B1

This word is not a translation of 'people' in the sense of human beings; it refers to trial versions of software or products.

{ui.learnMore}
English → Spanish

gente

/HEN-teh//ˈxente/

NounA1General
Use 'gente' for a general, collective group of people, like a crowd, or when referring to 'one's people' like family or friends.
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.

En Navidad, siempre voy a ver a mi gente.

At Christmas, I always go to see my family/people.

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').

personas

/per-SOH-nahs//peɾˈso.nas/

NounA1General
Use 'personas' when referring to human beings in a general or countable way, similar to 'individuals' but more common.
A small, diverse group of five individuals standing together, illustrating the concept of multiple people.

Examples

Hay muchas personas en el parque.

There are many people in the park.

¿Cuántas personas vienen a la fiesta?

How many people are coming to the party?

Esas personas son mis amigos de la universidad.

Those people are my friends from the university.

Use for Countable People

Personas is the word you use when you can count the number of people. For example, 'tres personas' (three people) or 'cien personas' (one hundred people).

Always Plural

Personas always refers to more than one person. For just one, you use the singular form: persona. For example, 'una persona' (one person).

Always a Feminine Word

The word personas itself is always feminine, so you use 'las' or 'unas' with it (e.g., 'las personas'). This is true even if you're talking about a group of men.

Confusing 'Personas' and 'Gente'

Mistake: “When talking about a specific number: 'En mi familia hay cinco gente.'”

Correction: Use `personas` for countable numbers: 'En mi familia hay cinco personas.' `Gente` is used for a general, uncountable group.

señores

NounA2Formal/Polite
Use 'señores' as a polite way to address a group, similar to 'ladies and gentlemen' or 'folks'.

Examples

¡Buenos días, señores! Gracias por venir a la reunión.

Good morning, ladies and gentlemen! Thank you for coming to the meeting.

humanos

oo-MAH-nohs/uˈmanos/

NounA1General/Scientific
Use 'humanos' when referring to the human species in a general, biological, or philosophical sense.
A colorful illustration showing a diverse group of stylized people standing close together, representing collective humanity.

Examples

Los humanos tenemos la capacidad de razonar.

Humans have the capacity to reason.

Se dice que los primeros humanos vinieron de África.

It is said that the first human beings came from Africa.

Tenemos que cuidar nuestro planeta para las futuras generaciones de humanos.

We have to take care of our planet for future generations of humans.

Collective Plural

Even if you are talking about a group that includes men and women, humanos (masculine plural) is the standard word used to mean 'all people.'

Using the Singular Too Broadly

Mistake: “El humano necesita agua.”

Correction: Los humanos necesitan agua. (Use the plural when referring to the species in general.)

hombres

/OM-bress//ˈom.bɾes/

NounB1General/Formal
Use 'hombres' to refer to mankind or humanity as a whole, often in historical or philosophical contexts.
A vast, diverse crowd of stylized human figures representing all of humanity.

Examples

La historia de los hombres está llena de descubrimientos.

The history of mankind is full of discoveries.

Todos los hombres nacen libres e iguales.

All human beings are born free and equal.

pueblo

/pweh-bloh//ˈpwe.βlo/

NounB1General/National
Use 'pueblo' to refer to a nation, an ethnic group, or a community with shared identity and culture.
A line of diverse individuals representing different ages and backgrounds standing together shoulder-to-shoulder, symbolizing a unified nation or ethnic group.

Examples

El pueblo mexicano tiene una rica historia y cultura.

The Mexican people have a rich history and culture.

Es una tradición antigua para el pueblo judío.

It's an ancient tradition for the Jewish people.

La ONU defiende los derechos de los pueblos indígenas.

The UN defends the rights of indigenous peoples.

Singular for a Group

Notice how 'el pueblo' is singular, but it refers to a whole group of people. If you're talking about multiple distinct nations or ethnic groups, you can make it plural: 'los pueblos de Latinoamérica' (the peoples of Latin America).

'Pueblo' vs. 'Gente'

Mistake: “El gente mexicano es muy amable.”

Correction: El pueblo mexicano es muy amable. OR La gente de México es muy amable. Use 'pueblo' when you're talking about a nation as a single unit with a shared identity. Use 'gente' for 'people' in a more general, everyday sense ('Hay mucha gente aquí' - There are a lot of people here).

mundo

/moon-doh//ˈmundo/

NounB1General
Use 'mundo' when 'people' is used to mean 'the world' in a general sense, implying all people everywhere.
A diverse group of people from different cultures and backgrounds standing together, smiling.

Examples

Hay mucha gente buena en el mundo.

There are a lot of good people in the world.

Todo el mundo piensa que es una buena idea.

Everybody thinks it's a good idea.

Vino un mundo de gente a la manifestación.

A ton of people came to the protest.

Translating 'Everyone'

Mistake: “Using 'todos' when 'todo el mundo' is more natural for 'everybody'.”

Correction: For 'everybody' in a general, casual sense, 'todo el mundo' is often the best choice. For example, 'Todo el mundo vino a la fiesta' (Everybody came to the party).

individuos

/een-dee-BEE-dwos//indiˈβiðwos/

nounB1Formal/Analytical
Use 'individuos' when emphasizing distinct, countable units within a larger group, often in studies or formal reports.
A single bright red bird standing apart from a flock of identical blue birds.

Examples

La sociedad está compuesta por muchos individuos diferentes.

Society is made up of many different individuals.

El médico analizó a diez individuos para el estudio.

The doctor analyzed ten individuals for the study.

Plurality

This is the plural form of 'individuo.' Since it ends in a vowel, we just add '-s' to make it plural.

Gender in Groups

Even if a group includes women, 'individuos' (the masculine form) is used to refer to the group as a whole.

Individuos vs. Personas

Mistake: “Using 'individuos' to talk about your friends.”

Correction: Use 'personas' or 'gente' for everyday social situations. 'Individuos' sounds a bit like a biology textbook or a police report.

tíos

nounB1Informal/Slang
Use 'tíos' as informal slang, primarily in Spain, to refer to a group of friends or 'guys'.

Examples

¡Qué pasada, tíos! ¿Vamos al cine?

That's awesome, guys! Shall we go to the cinema?

demos

/dé-mos//ˈde.mos/

NounB1Technical/Informal
This word is not a translation of 'people' in the sense of human beings; it refers to trial versions of software or products.
A storybook illustration of a small, clear glass jar containing only three colorful candies, representing a limited sample or trial version.

Examples

Bajé varios demos de videojuegos para probar.

I downloaded several video game demos to try out.

Los demos musicales de la banda son muy prometedores.

The band's music demos (tapes) are very promising.

La palabra 'democracia' viene de 'demos' y 'kratos'.

The word 'democracy' comes from 'demos' (people) and 'kratos' (power).

Singular Form

The singular form is 'el demo' (often pronounced DEH-mo), which is a common short form in Spanish adopted from English 'demonstration' or 'demo tape'.

Gente vs. Personas

The most common confusion is between 'gente' and 'personas'. Use 'gente' for a general, uncountable crowd or group ('mucha gente'), and 'personas' for countable individuals ('cinco personas'). While 'gente' can sometimes be plural in meaning, it is grammatically singular.

Related Translations

Learn Spanish with Inklingo

Interactive stories, personalized learning, and more.