How to Say "pupils" in Spanish
The most common Spanish word for “pupils” is “alumnos” — use 'alumnos' when referring to children in a school setting, emphasizing their role as students under a teacher's guidance..
alumnos
ah-LOOM-nohs/aˈlumnos/
Examples
Los alumnos de esta clase son muy aplicados.
The students in this class are very diligent.
Hay veinte alumnos y quince alumnas en el instituto, por lo que decimos '35 alumnos'.
There are twenty male students and fifteen female students in the high school, which is why we say '35 students'.
La profesora recibió a los nuevos alumnos en el aula.
The teacher welcomed the new students into the classroom.
Plural for Mixed Groups
Even if the group contains both male and female students, Spanish uses the masculine plural form ('alumnos') to refer to the whole group.
Masculine Noun Rule
Since this word ends in '-os', it is plural. In Spanish, nouns ending in '-o' are usually masculine, requiring masculine articles like 'los' (the) or adjectives that end in '-os' (e.g., 'buenos alumnos').
Forgetting the Plural Rule
Mistake: “Using 'alumnas' when talking about a mixed group of 50 students.”
Correction: Use 'alumnos'. 'Alumnas' is only correct if the group is 100% female.
estudiantes
/es-too-dee-AHN-tes//estuˈðjantes/
Examples
Los estudiantes leen muchos libros.
The students read many books.
Hay veinte estudiantes en esta clase de español.
There are twenty students in this Spanish class.
Las estudiantes de arte hicieron una exposición.
The female art students put on an exhibition.
Plural Form
This word is the 'more than one' version of the noun estudiante (student). Spanish plurals usually just add an '-s' or '-es' to the end.
Gender Agreement
Even though estudiante is the same for male or female, when you use the plural estudiantes to refer to a mixed group (boys and girls), you must use the masculine article los (Los estudiantes).
Mixing up the Noun and Verb
Mistake: “Using 'Los estudiantes estudian' when you mean 'The students study.'”
Correction: Wait, that sentence is actually correct! The mistake is confusing the noun *estudiantes* (the people) with the verb form *estudian* (they study). They sound similar but mean different things.
Alumnos vs. Estudiantes
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