Abstract

This article addresses the use of the noun cosa in ELE learners of proficiency level A2 and B1 with French, German and English L1. A descriptive study is presented to specify and explain the frequencies and systematicity both in the most frequent uses of the noun thing and in the problems in the use of said noun. The results show that the noun thing is widely used by learners of the three mother tongues, with a higher frequency being observed in Anglo-Saxon learners, followed by French L1 learners and, finally, German L1 learners. Regarding the level of competence, a difference is found in the frequency of greater use at level A2 compared to level B2. Regarding the meaning, the noun is used more in the plural than in the singular to refer to products, characteristics and activities. The greatest difficulties of use correspond to the grammatical agreement between determiners and the noun. © 2023 Universidad Catolica Silva Henriquez. All rights reserved.