Inklingo

How to Say "rocks" in Spanish

English → Spanish

piedras

pyeh-drahs/ˈpjéðɾas/

nounA1general
Use 'piedras' for smaller, individual pieces of rock, like those you might find on a beach or in a garden.
A close-up illustration of a small collection of smooth, naturally colored stones (gray, brown, and white) resting on a patch of light brown soil.

Examples

La playa estaba llena de piedras lisas y redondas.

The beach was full of smooth, round stones.

Los niños recogieron muchas piedras en la playa.

The children collected many stones on the beach.

Hay que tener cuidado con las piedras en el camino.

You have to be careful with the rocks on the road.

Ella lleva un collar con piedras preciosas.

She is wearing a necklace with precious gems.

Feminine Plural

This word is the plural form of 'piedra' (stone). Remember that 'piedra' is always a feminine word, so any words describing it must also be feminine (e.g., 'piedras blancas').

Countable Noun

'Piedras' is a countable noun, meaning you can count individual stones. Use numbers or quantity words like 'muchas' (many) with it.

Gender confusion

Mistake: “Los piedras son grandes.”

Correction: Las piedras son grandes. (Since 'piedra' is feminine, the article 'las' must be used.)

rocas

/ROH-kas//ˈro.kas/

nounA1general
Use 'rocas' to refer to larger, geological formations of rock, or formations that are significant in size, like cliffs or large boulders.
A storybook illustration showing three large, rugged gray and brown boulders sitting on a patch of bright green grass under a blue sky.

Examples

Los escaladores admiraron las imponentes rocas de la montaña.

The climbers admired the imposing rocks of the mountain.

Tuvimos que escalar por encima de muchas rocas para llegar a la cima.

We had to climb over many rocks to reach the summit.

El mar golpea fuertemente contra las rocas de la costa.

The sea strongly hits against the rocks on the coast.

Always Feminine Plural

Since 'roca' (rock) is a feminine word, its plural form 'rocas' requires feminine words like 'las' or 'muchas' to go with it.

Using the wrong article

Mistake: “Los rocas son duras.”

Correction: Las rocas son duras. (Remember, use 'las' because 'rocas' is feminine.)

Piedras vs. Rocas

The most common mistake is using 'rocas' for small, loose stones. Remember that 'piedras' refers to individual, often smaller, pieces, while 'rocas' implies larger, more solid geological masses.

Related Translations

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