Los Estados Unidos - ¿son o es?

Question

¿Cuando se habla del país, se usa singular o plural?

Interesting. - annierats, Nov 11, 2014

Great question. :) - bosquederoble, Nov 11, 2014

This is a tricky question. Thanks for all the answers! - ewright1217, Nov 11, 2014

Answer 1

Well, just to be annoying, I go for the plural : a quote from Wikipedia: Los Estados Unidos de América son un país situado casi en su totalidad en América del Norte.

Personally I have no opinion, really.

Well you have a reference so I am probably wrong....as usual. lol - gringojrf, Nov 11, 2014

I don't know if there is even agreement: http://forum.wordreference.com/showthread.php?t=185945 - bosquederoble, Nov 11, 2014

The thread does not start with this question, but it gets into it a little toward the bottom. - bosquederoble, Nov 11, 2014

This question affects other nations as well, Las Bahamas, Los Países Bajos, Las Filipinas - bosquederoble, Nov 11, 2014

Bosque, I have a sinking feeling that this is one of those questions that has many answers. - annierats, Nov 11, 2014

I can't find agreement, but I did find someone quoting the RAE. Which is as close definitive as you can be. - bosquederoble, Nov 11, 2014

I agree Bosque, the rae is it. How can you write rae in capitals, the site tells me it is not allowed to use capitals? - annierats, Nov 11, 2014

R A E :) - ian-hill, Nov 11, 2014

Well, how interesting, I forgot that rule for a moment and it went in, and I typed RAE. - bosquederoble, Nov 11, 2014

Got it on the third attempt again. The first two tries, with shorter sentences failed- the usual error message. :D - bosquederoble, Nov 11, 2014

I'm with Annie - Daniela2041, Nov 12, 2014

Answer 2

Well in English we say: The United States is large. Singular so I vote "es".

I'm opposing you just to be annoying, pls don't take it personally. - annierats, Nov 11, 2014

Can I join you in being "latosa"?? It means more " pesky" than annoying. - Daniela2041, Nov 12, 2014

Answer 3

Okay I will quote someone else’s quote of RAE. Not that in this thread there is still agreement. This is about halfway down.

http://forum.wordreference.com/showthread.php?t=954162

Del DPD

Estados Unidos. 1. Nombre abreviado que se usa corrientemente para referirse al país de América del Norte cuyo nombre oficial es Estados Unidos de América. Puede usarse con artículo o sin él. Si se usa precedido de artículo, el verbo va en plural: «Los Estados Unidos han pedido a Francia que aplace su decisión» (Vanguardia [Esp.] 2.9.95). Si se emplea sin artículo, el verbo va en singular: «Estados Unidos está preparado para abrir negociaciones» (Proceso [Méx.] 2.2.97).

Diccionario panhispánico de dudas ©2005

Real Academia Española © Todos los derechos reservados

That is a good point. Thanks for the link! - ewright1217, Nov 11, 2014

Answer 4

The reason English uses "the" United States of America" is because it is plural.

As has already been mentioned - English does this for other things too - "the" Great Lakes.

But we say "It is south of Canada" - and not "They are south of Canada" because

"They" are a single enitity.

I don't know for sure but I think in Spanish "son" is correct.