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gran

great

adjective grahn Common

Origin: Apocopated form of grande, from Latin grandis.

Usage Note

Gran is the apocopated (shortened) form of grande used ONLY before a singular noun: un gran hombre (a great man), una gran idea (a great idea). After the noun, the full form is required: un hombre grande (a big/tall man). Note the meaning shift: before the noun grande/gran means 'great/impressive'; after the noun it means physically 'large/big'. This positional meaning change is a key learner pitfall.

Examples

"Es una gran oportunidad para todos."

Natural Translation

It is a great opportunity for everyone.

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