años

Años is the plural form of año in Spanish, used to denote a span of time equal to one calendar year or to indicate an amount of time in years. It is commonly used to express age, duration, or to reference specific calendar periods, such as decades or particular years.

Etymology and orthography: the word comes from Latin annus. In modern Spanish, año includes the letter ñ to represent a palatal nasal. The plural is años, formed by adding -es, and the stress remains on the first syllable: /ˈaɲos/.

Usage: Años is used with numbers to express age or duration, for example, “tiene treinta años” (he is thirty years old) or “vivió allí durante varios años.” It is also used to indicate calendar periods, such as “los años 90” or “en los años 2020.” The phrase “año bisiesto” refers to a leap year. In idiomatic expressions, one may encounter “año tras año” or “con el pasar de los años,” which convey the passage of time.

See also: Año, the singular form, which covers the concept of a single calendar year, as well as related terms like calendario and fecha. Años appears in literature, journalism, law, and everyday language to anchor time to a specific year, age, or duration.