Especials

Especials is a term most often seen as a loanword from Spanish or Portuguese or as a branding choice in English. The underlying adjective especial means “special,” and in Spanish the standard plural is especiales. The anglicized form “especials” is not a standard English plural and is typically used in marketing, product naming, or media catalogs rather than in formal grammar.

In practice, especials functions as a label for items, programming, or issues that differ from a regular lineup. In restaurants and cafes, specials or especials denote limited-time dishes or drinks that are not part of the regular menu. In television, film, and online media, especiales or “Especial” episodes refer to one-off programs or broadcasts created for holidays, anniversaries, or special events; some networks may present a cataloged set of these as a branded series called Especials. In publishing, editions or issues described as especiales are often specially designed or contain extra content beyond the standard issues.

Because Spanish uses especiales for the plural, English writers who intend accuracy typically use specials or special editions, reserving especials for marketing contexts or branding choices. Thus, while not a standard grammatical form in English, especials appears in multilingual marketing, retail, and media environments as a stylistic or commercial label. See also special edition and specials.