Collective Nouns

Here are some of the most common collective nouns that learners encounter when talking about groups of people, animals, and things.

Spanish Collective | English Collective | Spanish Translation | English Translation --- | --- | --- | --- una manada | a herd | una manada de elefantes | a herd of elephants una bandada | a flock | una bandada de pájaros | a flock of birds una piara | a herd | una piara de cerdos | a herd of pigs una jauría | a pack | una jauría de perros | a pack of dogs una colonia | a colony | una colonia de hormigas | a colony of ants una manada | a pack | una manada de lobos | a pack of wolves una pandilla | a gang | una pandilla de niños | a gang of kids una flota | a fleet | una flota de barcos | a fleet of ships una bandada | a swarm | una bandada de abejas | a swarm of bees una rebaño | a flock | un rebaño de ovejas | a flock of sheep una cuadrilla | a group | una cuadrilla de trabajadores | a group of workers una tropa | a troop | una tropa de soldados | a troop of soldiers

Collective nouns are usually feminine when they end in -a, and they take singular agreement when the group is treated as a unit. Sometimes context determines whether you use singular or plural verbs.

Learning key collective nouns helps you describe groups more naturally and precisely in Spanish, so pay attention to the typical endings and agreement.