Gente

Today's WOTD is: "gente" = people

In Spanish, “gente” is a feminine noun of Latin origin, the main meaning of which is people, as in:

• La plaza se llenó de gente (the square got filled with people);

The pejorative^* “gentuza” is a related word used to refer to people as rabble, scum, trash or the dregs, as in:

• De vez en cuando se encuentra uno con auténtica gentuza (every now and then one comes across real scum);

*NB See posts on Suffixes

Also related is the noun “gentío”, which means a crowd, as in:

• Estábamos como sardinas ¡Qué gentío! (we were like sardines, what a crowd!);

Some Spanish expressions with the word “gente” are:

• Ande yo caliente y ríase la gente (who cares what other people may think... if it is OK for me...);
  • Ya sé que mi coche no es un Ferrari, pero, ande yo caliente y ríase la gente (I know my car is not a Ferrari, but it does me);
• Buena gente (someone who is the salt of the Earth/ good people);
  • En ese grupo son todos buena gente (all the people in that group are good guys);
• Decir de las gentes (gossip);
  • No deberías hacer caso del decir de las gentes (you should take no notice of gossip);
• Dicho de las gentes (gossip);
  • No deberías hacer caso de dichos de las gentes (you should take no notice of gossip);
• El Apóstol de las gentes (the Apostle to the Gentiles -St Paul);
• Gente bien (well off people);
• Gente de mar (sailors/ seafaring people);
• Gente humilde (humble/ modest people);
• Gente menuda (children/ kids);
  • La gente menuda debería estar ya en la cama (children/ kids should already be in bed);
• Gente sencilla (ordinary/ common people);
• Mala gente (evil person/ bad people);
  • En ese grupo no hay mala gente (in that group there aren't any bad guys);
• Tener don de gentes (to be personable/ to have a way with people);

Love-Spanish.com loves the word "gente" in the YouTube clip: Juanes -Mala Gente

For more on the word "gente", visit: Wordreference.com/es/en/ Gente

*NB 'Click' on the speaker icon next to the word “gente” in the link to hear the word pronounced.

---

Spanish lessons online

Skype/ Google+ Hangout/ Facetime

Great lessons

Book now

© Copyright 2014 Love-Spanish.com. by Jose M González. All Rights Reserved.