Spanish · Emotions & Descriptions
"Big" in Spanish: grande
grande
Big is grande for both genders in the singular. The plural is grandes. Before a singular noun, grande often shortens to gran: una gran ciudad.
Ordering food
Quiero una limonada grande.Speak with an AI partner · 7 days free
How to pronounce grande
Say it
GRAHN-deh
/ˈɡɾande/
GRAHN-deh. Stress GRAHN. Keep grande clear; the d is soft between vowels.
"Big" in Spanish: quick reference
| Spanish | English | When to use |
|---|---|---|
| grande | big; large Default size word for both genders. | Default size word for both genders. |
| grandes | big (plural) Agree with plural nouns. | Agree with plural nouns. |
| gran | great / big (before singular noun) Una gran idea; un gran amigo. | Una gran idea; un gran amigo. |
| enorme | enormous Stronger than grande. | Stronger than grande. |
How to use grande in real life
- 1Ordering food
Quiero una limonada grande.
I want a large lemonade.
Grande follows the noun here.
- 2Describing a city
Lima es una ciudad grande.
Lima is a big city.
Grande stays the same for ciudad.
- 3Praise
Fue una sorpresa grande.
It was a big surprise.
Sorpresa grande keeps the full form grande after the noun.
Mistakes English speakers make with grande
Incorrect: Una casa granda.
Correct: Una casa grande.
There is no granda. Grande stays grande for feminine nouns.
Incorrect: Un grande problema.
Correct: Un gran problema. / Un problema grande.
Before a singular noun, grande often becomes gran: un gran problema.
Good to know
Grande can mean large in size or "great" in praise, especially as gran before a noun. On menus, grande is the large size, the same idea as asking for a big drink.
Try it in a ChatPal conversation
Choosing a size at a juice stand
ChatPal
¿La quieres mediana o grande?
Do you want it medium or large?
You
Grande, por favor. Tengo sed.
Large, please. I'm thirsty.
ChatPal
Perfecto. Una grande de mango.
Perfect. One large mango.
You
Gracias. ¿Aceptan tarjeta?
Thanks. Do you take cards?
This is a sample. In ChatPal you have this conversation out loud and get feedback on what you say.
Practice this conversation in ChatPal"Big" in other languages
FAQ
Common questions about "Big" in Spanish
Does grande change for gender?
Not in the singular. El carro grande, la casa grande. Plural: grandes.
When do I use gran?
Often before a singular noun: una gran ciudad. After the noun, keep grande.
How do you pronounce grande?
GRAHN-deh with stress on GRAHN. Soft d between vowels.
Can grande mean great?
Yes, especially as gran; size is still the core of grande. Size is still the core of grande.
Learn a word, then use it out loud
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- Step 2: Say it out loud
- Step 3: Get feedback
- Step 4: Use it in real scenarios
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