Spanish · B2 · Everyday language
Who Can Lend a Hand? in Spanish
Helping your child identify and describe the people they interact with in social, school, and sports settings is crucial for safety and communication. This guide focuses on using adjectives as nouns (nominalized adjectives) to refer to specific groups of people, ensuring you use natural Spanish phrasing at a B2 level.
What you'll learn
- Identify school staff and familiar adults correctly.
- Learn to use nominalized adjectives (e.g., 'the young ones', 'the injured') in Spanish.
- Practice using gender-appropriate terms for acquaintances and strangers.
- Describe groups of children by age or status in school/club environments.
Spanish phrases for who can lend a hand?
Por favor, pregúntale a un adulto del equipo escolar antes de salir del patio.
Please ask an adult from the school team before leaving the playground.
Uses 'un adulto' to refer to a member of the staff.
Enséñale tu nota al adulto que está junto a la puerta de la clase.
Show your note to the adult by the classroom door.
Note the use of 'al' (a + el) before the noun.
La mujer que nos saluda es una conocida mía del club de natación.
The woman waving at us is an acquaintance of mine from the swimming club.
Uses 'conocida' as a nominalized adjective for a female acquaintance.
No tienes que decirle a un desconocido tu nombre ni dónde vives.
You don't have to tell a stranger your name or where you live.
'Desconocido' is the standard way to say 'stranger'.
Los niños mayores pueden ayudar a los pequeños a encontrar el vestuario.
The older children can help the younger ones find the changing room.
'Los pequeños' functions as 'the younger ones'.
Incluso el niño más pequeño puede opinar al elegir el juego.
Even the youngest child can have a say in choosing the game.
'Opinar' is a natural way to express 'having a say'.
Dejemos el banco libre para los niños lesionados que necesiten sentarse.
Let's leave the bench free for the injured children who need to sit down.
'Lesionados' describes the state of the children.
Los jóvenes que ayudan en el club deportivo llevan camisetas azules.
The young people helping at the sports club are wearing blue shirts.
'Los jóvenes' is used for teenagers or young adults.
Hear these phrases and practise them
Tildi plays every phrase out loud, tests you in five-minute lessons and builds them into bedtime stories from your own picture books.
Try it free for 7 daysKey words
Conocido/a
Acquaintance
Literally 'known person'; very common in social contexts.
Desconocido/a
Stranger
Used to describe someone the child does not know.
El equipo escolar
School team / staff
Refers to the group of people working at the school.
Vestuario
Changing room
Standard term for sports facilities.
Nominalization of Adjectives
In Spanish, adjectives can easily become nouns by adding a definite or indefinite article. Unlike English, which often requires the word 'one' (the young one), Spanish simply uses the article and the adjective. These must agree in gender and number with the person being described.
| Use | Form | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Masculine Singular | El + Adjective | El pequeño (The small boy/one) |
| Feminine Singular | La + Adjective | La conocida (The female acquaintance) |
| Masculine Plural | Los + Adjective | Los jóvenes (The young people) |
| Feminine Plural | Las + Adjective | Las lesionadas (The injured girls) |
More examples
¿Ves a ese señor? Es un conocido de papá.
Do you see that man? He is an acquaintance of Dad's.
B2 usage of 'conocido' as a noun.
Los mayores deben dar ejemplo a los pequeños.
The older ones should set an example for the younger ones.
Common phrase in school settings using two nominalized adjectives.