Los farolillos iluminan la plaza.

the square (public place)

Breakdown of Los farolillos iluminan la plaza.

• el farolillo: the paper lantern
• iluminar: to light up

Questions & Answers about Los farolillos iluminan la plaza.

Why does the sentence start with Los and later use la?

Because Spanish nouns usually need an article much more often than English nouns do.

• los = the for a masculine plural noun
• la = the for a feminine singular noun

Here:

• farolillos is masculine plural, so it takes los
• plaza is feminine singular, so it takes la

So:

• los farolillos = the lanterns
• la plaza = the square

Why is farolillos plural?

Because the noun is farolillo, and the ending -s makes it plural.

• singular: el farolillo
• plural: los farolillos

The verb also matches this plural subject:

• ilumina = lights / illuminates (singular subject)
• iluminan = light / illuminate (plural subject)

So Los farolillos iluminan... means the subject is they: the lanterns.

What does farolillo mean exactly?