How to Say "remains" in Spanish
The most common Spanish word for “remains” is “resto” — use 'resto' when referring to what is left of a group, an amount, or in a general sense of something remaining..
resto
/RREHS-toh//'resto/
Examples
El resto de la comida se la llevó para casa.
She took the rest of the food home.
El resto del grupo llegará más tarde.
The rest of the group will arrive later.
Puedes comerte el resto de la pizza si quieres.
You can eat the rest of the pizza if you want.
Guardamos los restos de la cena para el almuerzo de mañana.
We saved the leftovers from dinner for tomorrow's lunch.
Always Use 'el resto de'
When you want to say 'the rest of something', you always need to add 'de' after 'el resto'. For example, 'el resto del día' (the rest of the day) or 'el resto de la gente' (the rest of the people).
'el resto' vs. 'los restos'
Mistake: “Usé el resto para hablar de la comida que sobró.”
Correction: Generally, for 'leftovers' (food), it's better to use the plural form: 'Guardé los restos de la cena'. 'El resto' refers to the remaining part of a single thing, like 'el resto de la película' (the rest of the movie).
sigue
/see-geh//ˈsi.ɣe/
Examples
El camino sigue bloqueado por la nieve.
The road remains blocked by snow.
La tienda sigue abierta hasta las diez.
The store is still open until ten.
¿Tu amigo sigue enojado conmigo?
Is your friend still mad at me?
El problema sigue sin solución.
The problem remains without a solution.
Saying 'Still' in Spanish
While you can use 'todavía' (still), it's very natural to use 'seguir' + an adjective or description. 'Él está enfermo' means 'He is sick'. 'Él sigue enfermo' means 'He is still sick'.
permanece
per-mah-NEH-seh/peɾ.maˈne.θe/
Examples
El precio del petróleo permanece alto.
The price of oil remains high.
Ella permanece en casa estudiando para el examen.
She remains at home studying for the exam.
El museo permanece abierto hasta las seis de la tarde.
The museum stays open until six in the evening.
¡Permanece aquí hasta que yo regrese!
Stay here until I return!
Dual Role of 'Permanece'
This single form can mean two things: 'He/She/It stays' (statement of fact) or 'Stay!' (a command directed at 'tú,' an informal friend).
Forgetting the 'zc' Change
Mistake: “Saying 'yo permaneco' instead of 'yo permanezco' in the present tense.”
Correction: Verbs ending in -ecer often follow a pattern where the 'c' changes to 'zc' before 'o' or 'a' sounds (like in the 'yo' form and all of the special subjunctive forms). This change is only present in certain forms.
residuos
/rre-SEE-dwos//reˈsiðwos/
Examples
La planta de reciclaje procesa residuos industriales.
The recycling plant processes industrial waste.
Debemos separar los residuos orgánicos de los plásticos.
We must separate organic waste from plastics.
La ciudad tiene un nuevo plan para la gestión de residuos.
The city has a new plan for waste management.
No dejes residuos de comida en la mesa.
Don't leave food remains on the table.
Always Masculine
Even though it ends in 's', this word is masculine. Always use 'los' or 'unos' with it.
Plural vs. Singular
While you can say 'residuo' for a single bit of leftover material, we almost always use the plural 'residuos' when talking about trash or environmental issues.
Residuos vs. Basura
Mistake: “Using 'residuos' for the small kitchen bin.”
Correction: Use 'basura' for everyday kitchen trash and 'residuos' for more formal, technical, or large-scale waste (like factory or city-wide waste).
ruinas
/rwee-nahs//ˈrwinas/
Examples
Las ruinas del antiguo castillo son impresionantes.
The ruins of the old castle are impressive.
Fuimos a visitar las ruinas de Machu Picchu.
We went to visit the ruins of Machu Picchu.
Las ruinas romanas están muy bien conservadas.
The Roman ruins are very well preserved.
Always Feminine
This word is always feminine. Use 'las' or 'unas' when talking about them.
Gender confusion
Mistake: “los ruinas”
Correction: las ruinas (it is a feminine word).
cadáveres
Examples
Los forenses examinaron los cadáveres encontrados.
The forensic examiners examined the corpses found.
Confusing 'sigue'/'permanece' with 'resto'
Related Translations
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