sendos

one each

determiner SEHN-dohs Less Common

Origin: Latin singulos (one by one)

Usage Note

Sendos is a formal determiner meaning 'one for each person or thing previously mentioned' — los dos amigos llevaban sendas mochilas means each of the two friends carried their own backpack (one each), not 'both backpacks' or 'big backpacks'. It is plural-only and always agrees in gender (sendos/sendas). It is a notorious false friend for English speakers who mistake it for 'both' or 'big' — it means neither.

Examples

"Los hermanos recibieron sendos premios."

Natural Translation

The siblings each received a prize.

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