Spanish · People & Family

"People" in Spanish: gente

la gente

Say it: HEN-tehfeminine · la gentenoun/ˈxen.te/

People in Spanish is la gente (HEN-teh). It is feminine and usually singular: la gente está. Do not say las gentes in everyday talk.

At a concert

Hay mucha gente aquí.
There are a lot of people here.
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How to pronounce gente

Say it

HEN-teh

/ˈxen.te/

HEN-teh for gente. Soft g like English h. Stress HEN.

"People" in Spanish: quick reference

SpanishEnglish
la gentepeople

Default everyday word.

mucha gentemany people

Crowds and busy places.

poca gentefew people

Quiet places.

la gente jovenyoung people

Talking about a younger group.

How to use gente in real life

  1. 1At a concert

    Hay mucha gente aquí.

    There are a lot of people here.

    Mucha gente for a crowd.

  2. 2On the street

    La gente camina rápido.

    People walk quickly.

    La gente with a singular verb.

  3. 3At a market

    La gente compra frutas frescas.

    People buy fresh fruit.

    La gente for shoppers in general.

Mistakes English speakers make with gente

Incorrect: Las gente son amables.

Correct: La gente es amable.

Gente is feminine singular. Use la gente with a singular verb.

Incorrect: El gente espera afuera.

Correct: La gente espera afuera.

Gente takes la, not el.

Good to know

Gente is the go-to word for people in Latin America. Personas counts individuals. Prefer la gente for people in general.

Try it in a ChatPal conversation

Arriving at a busy plaza

  1. ChatPal

    Hay mucha gente hoy.

    There are a lot of people today.

  2. You

    Sí. La gente espera el concierto.

    Yes. People are waiting for the concert.

  3. ChatPal

    Busquemos un lugar quieto.

    Let’s find a quieter spot.

  4. You

    Buena idea. Vamos.

    Good idea. Let’s go.

This is a sample. In ChatPal you have this conversation out loud and get feedback on what you say.

Practice this conversation in ChatPal

"People" in other languages

FAQ

Common questions about "People" in Spanish

Is gente masculine or feminine?

Feminine: la gente, mucha gente, esa gente.

Why singular verbs?

Gente is grammatically singular: la gente está, la gente quiere.

Gente or personas?

Gente for people in general. Personas when counting individuals.

How do you pronounce gente?

HEN-teh. Soft g like English h.

Learn a word, then use it out loud

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  2. Step 2: Say it out loud
  3. Step 3: Get feedback
  4. Step 4: Use it in real scenarios

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