tres
three
Reviewed by: David WestfallCofounder
The number three
Encoding Strategies:
linguistic
tri-
three
Tres means three and is related to the English prefix tri-0, as in a triangle or a tricycle.
tres
three (quantity)
Describes how many of something there are.
Tengo tres hermanos mayoresI have three older brothers
Necesitamos tres sillas más para la mesaWe need three more chairs for the table
three (the number itself)
When turned into a noun, the number becomes a thing itself.
El tres es mi número favoritoThree is my favorite number
El niño escribió un tres enorme en la pizarraThe kid wrote a huge three on the board
Jugué el tres de espadas y gané la manoI played the three of spades and won the hand
third, 3rd (dates)
Spanish names the days of the month with plain numbers, so the third of the month is simply "the three."
Mi cumpleaños es el tres de mayoMy birthday is the third of May
Volvemos a casa el tres de eneroWe come home on the 3rd of January
tres (Cuba & Dominican Republic)
A small guitar named for its three pairs of strings.
Aprendió a tocar el tres en Santiago de CubaHe learned to play the tres in Santiago de Cuba
El tres lleva el ritmo en casi todo el sonThe tres carries the rhythm in almost every son
las tres
three o'clock, three (the hour)
Telling time, Spanish drops the word "hours" and keeps the number, so three o'clock is literally "the threes."
La reunión empieza a las tresThe meeting starts at three o'clock
Son las tres de la tardeIt's three in the afternoon