callejón
/kaʝeˈxon/masculine
The Spanish word for alley is callejón. Wiktionary also lists callejuela and calleja.
Meaning: narrow street (noun)
Ways to say it
| Spanish | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| callejón | /kaʝeˈxon/ | masculine |
| callejuela | /kaʝeˈxwela/ | |
| calleja | /kaˈʝexa/ | |
| esquinita | /eskiˈnita/ | Philippines, feminine |
| callizo | /kaʝiθo/ (Spain, from spelling rules) /kaʝiso/ (Latin America, from spelling rules) |
masculine |
| callejo | /kaʝexo/ (from spelling rules) | masculine |
The word is used to describe a narrow street. The specific phrase callejón sin salida can be used literally to describe a dead-end alley or figuratively to describe a situation with no way out.
Which one should you use?
While callejón is the standard word for an alley, callejuela often implies an even narrower, more cramped lane or passageway.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In the Philippines, esquinita is used to refer to small alleys or narrow streets.
How does it change in a sentence?
callejón is a masculine noun. callejuela, calleja, esquinita, callizo and callejo are other forms of the word, with esquinita being feminine.
How do you pronounce it?
/kaʝeˈxon/
Did you know?
- In many old Spanish cities, callejones were intentionally designed to be narrow and winding to provide shade from the sun and break the wind.
- While callejón refers to an alley, the word esquinita actually derives from the word for 'corner', esquina, rather than from the root for 'street'.
- The word callejón uses the suffix -ón, which usually makes words larger. This creates a linguistic irony where a 'large' version of a 'small street' is still just an alley.
Examples in context
- Es un callejón sin salida.This is a dead-end alley.This sentence shows how to say a dead-end alley using callejón.Tatoeba #803464 by Shishir, translation #60323 by CK
- Está derecho por este callejón.It is right up his alley.This sentence uses callejón to describe a direction or path.Tatoeba #1266399 by marcelostockle, translation #284696 by CK
- Estamos en un callejón sin salida.We're in a blind alley.This sentence shows the phrase for a blind alley using callejón.Tatoeba #2259812 by hayastan, translation #2259811 by _undertoad
- Hay un callejón al lado del edificioThere's an alley next to the building
- El pasadizo detrás del mercado es muy oscuroThe alley behind the market is very dark
- La fiesta está al final del pasajeThe party is at the end of the alley
- 11 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Lucía and Javier are looking for a hidden restaurant.
- LucíaEl restaurante está en ese callejón.The restaurant is in that alley.
- JavierNo veo ninguna señal aquí, Lucía.I don't see any sign here, Lucía.
- LucíaSigue caminando por el callejón.Keep walking through the alley.
- JavierAh, ya veo la entrada, Javier.Ah, I see the entrance now, Javier.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “alley” translations and entries callejón, callejuela, calleja, esquinita, callizo, callejo, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- IPA marked “from spelling rules” is derived from standard Spanish spelling, where Wiktionary gives none.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
