común

Común is a Spanish adjective and noun with several related meanings centered on shared or general use. As an adjective, común describes what is ordinary, general, or widely distributed, as in ideas, objects, or situations that are typical or public in scope. It also appears in phrases that denote shared use or ownership, such as uso común (common use) or bien común (the common good).

Etymology and variations: común comes from Latin communis, through Old Spanish. The word carries a diacritical mark on the í to indicate the stress on the last syllable, which helps distinguish it from other forms. In plural, the adjective becomes comunes (los usos comunes, los bienes comunes).

Uses in discourse: bien común is a central term in political philosophy and ethics, referring to what benefits the community as a whole rather than individual interests. In everyday language, se usa común para describir fenómenos o circunstancias que afectan a la mayoría, such as un problema común o una costumbre común. The phrase uso común denotes practices or terms that are widely shared or understood within a group.

Noun usage and historical sense: historically, el común referred to the general public or to the non-noble classes in some contexts, and the concept of los bienes comunes describes resources managed collectively. In modern context, común frequently appears in sociology, law, and public policy to indicate shared or collective dimensions of a society.

In sum, común conveys ideas of sharedness, general applicability, and public relevance, with usage spanning everyday language to philosophical and legal discourse.