Spanish vocabulary · Beginner
Both in Spanish: Ambos vs. Los Dos and How to Pick the Right One
Ambos · pronoun / adjective · AHM-bohs
Both in Spanish is ambos (masculine) or ambas (feminine). In everyday conversation, los dos / las dos is just as natural. Ambos sounds slightly more formal, while los dos feels conversational.
Two syllables: AHM-bohs. Stress is on the first syllable. The feminine form ambas is AHM-bahs.
Ambos estuvieron de acuerdo.
Both of them agreed.
Both in Spanish: Quick Reference
Below are the most common Spanish words for both, with pronunciation and regional usage notes.
| Spanish | English | Pronunciation | Region / Register |
|---|---|---|---|
| ambos | both | AHM-bohs | Default, widely understood |
| ambas | both | feminine form | |
| los dos / las dos | both | the two — more colloquial alternative |
How Native Speakers Use Ambos
Real example sentences across three contexts you'll actually run into.
Referring to two people
Ambos hermanos estudian medicina.
Both brothers study medicine.
Ambos before a masculine plural noun agrees in gender: ambos hermanos.
Casual everyday phrasing
Los dos sabemos que eso no es verdad.
We both know that's not true.
Los dos is the colloquial alternative to ambos — equally correct and more common in speech.
Feminine agreement
Ambas opciones son válidas.
Both options are valid.
When the noun is feminine (opciones), use ambas, not ambos.
Avoid These Mistakes When Using Ambos
Using ambos with a feminine noun
Incorrect: Ambos manos están sucias.
Correct: Ambas manos están sucias.
Mano is feminine (la mano), so the correct form is ambas. This trips learners up because mano ends in -o but is one of Spanish's few feminine -o nouns.
Saying los ambos or las ambas
Incorrect: Los ambos llegaron tarde.
Correct: Ambos llegaron tarde.
Ambos already functions as a determiner. Adding los before it is redundant and grammatically incorrect. Use either ambos or los dos, never los ambos.
Lock in Both Vocabulary with the Parrot Method
Why word lists alone don't stick
Memorizing a translation feels productive, but most learners forget 70% of what they studied within 48 hours. Vocabulary needs spaced repetition AND real-world exposure to transfer to long-term memory.
See Ambos used by native speakers
Parrot's short-form videos feature native speakers using ambos in real situations. Context-based exposure beats flashcards, you hear Ambos estuvieron de acuerdo. while watching someone live the moment, connecting meaning, sound, and rhythm at once.
Save, review, repeat, stay consistent
Tap any word to save it. Parrot's spaced-repetition system surfaces it right before you'd forget, no manual flashcard creation. The watch, parrot back, save, review cycle turns recognition into fluency at 2.7x the speed of traditional study.
Common Questions About Both in Spanish
- How do you say both in Spanish?
- Both in Spanish is ambos (AHM-bohs) for masculine and ambas for feminine. In casual speech, los dos / las dos is equally common: Los dos quieren ir means 'Both of them want to go.'
- What is the difference between ambos and los dos?
- They mean the same thing. Ambos is slightly more formal and often appears in writing, news, and academic language. Los dos is more conversational. Both are grammatically correct in any context.
- Does ambos change for gender?
- Ambos agrees in gender with the noun it modifies: ambos libros (both books, masculine), ambas ciudades (both cities, feminine). For mixed-gender groups, default to the masculine form ambos, following standard Spanish agreement rules.