Recursio
Lesson 3. One and many: los libros, las sillas
10 words in this lesson
Tap 🔊 and repeat out loud. These words come back in the dialogue and the exercises below.
plural: -s / -es, los / las
One and many
Spanish plurals will feel familiar: like English, Spanish adds -s or -es. The rule depends on how the word ends:
| The word ends in | Add | Example |
|---|---|---|
| a vowel | -s | la silla → las sillas, la foto → las fotos |
| a consonant | -es | la flor → las flores, el móvil → los móviles |
| -z | z changes to c, then -es | el lápiz → los lápices |
The accent mark in móviles and lápices stays where it was.
Los and las
In English, the never changes. In Spanish the article goes plural too, and the gender stays the same:
| One | Many | |
|---|---|---|
| masculine | el libro | los libros |
| feminine | la llave | las llaves |
La foto is introduced in this lesson. It is feminine even though it ends in -o (short for la fotografía) — so the plural is las fotos.
Aquí and allí
Aquí means “here,” allí means “there.” When you’re showing where things go, you can leave out the verb: Las sillas, aquí. — “The chairs here.”
To answer “thank you,” use the ready-made phrase De nada — “you’re welcome.”
El móvil is the word used in Spain; in Latin America a cell phone is el celular.
el libro → los libros — the book → the books
la flor → las flores — the flower → the flowers
el lápiz → los lápices — the pencil → the pencils
Dialogue
Listen to each line and repeat it. Try to understand it before you look at the translation.
Javier Las cajas, aquí, por favor. The boxes here, please.
Lucía ¿Y las sillas? And the chairs?
Javier Las sillas, allí. The chairs over there.
Lucía ¿Y los libros? And the books?
Javier Los libros, aquí. ¡Gracias, Lucía! The books here. Thanks, Lucía!
Lucía De nada. You're welcome.
Check yourself
Listen. What did you hear?
1. Plural: la flor →
2. Plural: el lápiz →
3. How do you say “the keys”?
4. Someone says “¡Gracias!” What do you answer?
Match each word with its translation
Build the phrase: “The chairs here”
Build the phrase: “The books over there”
What you can do now
- Make a noun plural: la silla → las sillas, la flor → las flores
- Use los or las
- Say where things go: aquí, allí
- Answer “thank you”: De nada.
Key phrases of the lesson:
Las sillas, aquí.
Los libros, allí.
De nada.
Day 3 of 100. Next up: the following lesson.
Lesson 4. Who are you and where are you from? →The course is the first step. Next comes the Recursio app: short daily practice with spaced review.