actor
/aɡˈtoɾ/masculine
The English word actor is actor in Spanish.
The term refers to a dramatic performer.
Meaning: dramatic performer (noun)
Which one should you use?
While actor is the masculine form, actriz is the specific feminine form used for a female performer.
How does it change in a sentence?
The feminine form of actor is actriz. The masculine plural form is actores, which is used for a group of male actors or a mixed-gender group.
How do you pronounce it?
/aɡˈtoɾ/
What mistakes should you avoid?
English speakers often mistakenly use the form actora for a female actor, but the correct feminine form is actriz.
Did you know?
- The word actor is also used in Spanish law to describe the 'plaintiff' or the person who initiates a lawsuit.
- The word actor comes from the Latin āctor, which originally meant a 'doer' or 'driver' rather than a stage performer.
- In Spanish, the word obra (work) is often used to refer to the specific play or piece of art that an actor performs.
Examples in context
- ¿Tom es un actor?Is Tom an actor?Tatoeba #4558741 by Shishir, translation #2649011 by CK
- Él debería ser actor.He should be an actor.Tatoeba #12527581 by Shishir, translation #12122515 by seeker
- No soy muy buen actor.I'm not much of an actor.Tatoeba #1283483 by marcelostockle, translation #953841 by CK
- Juan es un actor muy talentosoJuan is a very talented actor
- El intérprete principal de la obra es CarmenThe main actor/actress in the play is Carmen
- El teatro busca artistas dramáticos para su próxima producciónThe theater is looking for dramatic actors/actresses for their upcoming production
- El protagonista de la película es famoso a nivel internacionalThe leading actor in the movie is internationally famous
- Mi amiga quiere ser actriz de cineMy friend wants to be a movie actress
- Ese actor es una figura reconocida en todo el paísThat actor is a well-known figure throughout the country
- Me encanta ese artista porque se entrega completamente a su personajeI love that actor because they fully commit to their character
- 55 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Javier and Lucía are discussing a movie they just watched.
- Javier¿Te gustó la película, Lucía?Did you like the movie, Lucía?
- LucíaSí, pero el actor no me convenció.Yes, but the actor did not convince me.
- JavierEs un actor nuevo, ¿verdad?He is a new actor, right?
- LucíaCreo que sí, pero le falta práctica.I think so, but he lacks practice.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “actor” translations and entries actor, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries actor, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
