africano
/afɾiˈkano/
The English word 'african' is translated into Spanish as africano.
africano is an adjective meaning of or pertaining to Africa. It can also be used as a noun to refer to a native of Africa.
Meaning: of or pertaining to Africa (adj)
Which one should you use?
When used as a noun to mean 'an African person', the masculine form africano refers to a man, while the feminine form africana refers to a woman.
Related words
How does it change in a sentence?
The adjective must agree in gender with the noun it modifies, using the feminine form africana for feminine nouns. The masculine plural form africanos is used when describing a group of masculine nouns or a mixed-gender group, while the feminine plural form africanas is used when describing a group of exclusively feminine nouns.
How do you pronounce it?
/afɾiˈkano/
Did you know?
- In historical Spanish texts, africano was sometimes used as a synonym for 'Berber' or 'North African' specifically, rather than the whole continent.
- While 'African' in English is always capitalized, the Spanish adjective africano is written in lowercase unless it starts a sentence.
- While africano refers to the continent, Spanish speakers use the word afro as a prefix to specifically denote ancestral or cultural links to Africa, such as in afrodescendiente.
Examples in context
- Es un león africano.This is an African lion.This sentence is useful for seeing africano used as an adjective for an animal.Tatoeba #5925284 by baudelaire, translation #7957670 by deniko
- El Congo es un país africano.The Congo is an African country.This sentence shows africano used as an adjective for a country.Tatoeba #3809314 by hayastan, translation #12827217 by Yepthatscool
- El antílope es un mamífero africano.The antelope in an African mammal.This sentence shows africano used as an adjective for a mammal.Tatoeba #5629039 by arh, translation #5651285 by Mar1L
- Su esposo es africano.Her husband is African.
- Estudió la historia de los países africanos.He studied the history of African countries.
- La cultura africana es rica y diversa.African culture is rich and diverse.
- Me encanta la música africana. Siempre bailo como un africanito.I love African music. I always dance like a little African.
- Mis amigos son negros y tienen raíces africanas.My friends are Black and have African roots.
- Más representación de la comunidad afro es necesaria en el sistema político.More representation of the Afro community is necessary in the political system.
- 12 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
A couple discusses their interest in art at a museum.
- Sofía¿Te gusta este arte africano?Do you like this African art?
- AlejandroSí, me encanta el estilo africano.Yes, I love the African style.
- SofíaAlejandro, mira esta máscara africana.Alejandro, look at this African mask.
- AlejandroEs una pieza africana muy hermosa.It is a very beautiful African piece.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “african” translations and entries africano, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
