Which one should you use?
While cita is the general term, other words may be more appropriate depending on the situation. Use compromiso for a formal appointment, though be careful as this often refers more to a commitment or obligation. In formal or legal contexts, such as an appointment with authorities, the term audiencia is used. For informal meetups or appointments, you can use quedada or encuentro.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In certain Latin American countries, the word consulta is specifically used to refer to medical appointments. In Mexico and some other Spanish-speaking regions, visita is often used to express a medical appointment.
How does it change in a sentence?
The singular form una cita is used to refer to a single appointment.
How do you pronounce it?
/θitas/
What mistakes should you avoid?
English speakers often mistakenly use compromiso to mean a scheduled appointment. However, compromiso usually refers to a commitment or an obligation rather than a specific scheduled time.
Did you know?
- Beyond appointments and dates, cita is the standard word for a 'quotation' from a book or a speech in a literary context.
- The verb citar is used in legal contexts to mean 'summoning' someone to court.
- In some Spanish-speaking cultures, arriving slightly late to a social cita is often expected and not considered rude.
Examples in context
- Tom habitualmente cumple sus citas.Tom usually keeps appointments.This sentence is useful for practicing the use of citas to describe keeping scheduled appointments.Tatoeba #5930654 by albrusgher, translation #2958430 by CK
- Ella rara vez llega tarde a las citas.She is hardly ever late for appointments.This sentence shows how to use citas when talking about being late for appointments.Tatoeba #355740 by yorickvidal, translation #9671603 by ldegraaf
- Tengo una cita con el dentista mañana.I have an appointment with the dentist tomorrow.
- Tengo una consulta con el médico el miércoles.I have a medical appointment with the doctor on Wednesday.
- Tengo una visita con el especialista la próxima semana.I have a medical appointment with the specialist next week.
- Tengo muchas citas médicas esta semana.I have many medical appointments this week.
Example conversation
Lucía and Mateo are discussing their busy schedules at home.
- Lucía¿Tienes tiempo para almorzar hoy?Do you have time to have lunch today?
- MateoNo, tengo demasiadas citas hoy.No, I have too many appointments today.
- LucíaQué mala suerte, Mateo.That is bad luck, Mateo.
- MateoSí, pero ya casi termino.Yes, but I am almost finished.
Sources
- IPA marked “from spelling rules” is derived from standard Spanish spelling, where Wiktionary gives none.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
