el arte
neutral, Mexico
In Mexico art is el arte. The word is masculine in the singular and often feminine in the plural, as in las artes. Handmade folk crafts have their own word, artesanía. It is also called la artesanía.
Meaning: creative work and its practice (noun)
Ways to say it
| Mexican | Note |
|---|---|
| el arte | neutral, Mexico |
| las artes | plural |
| la artesanía | handicraft |
Which one should you use?
Arte covers painting, music and the other fine arts. For pottery, textiles and carved figures that are made by hand, Mexicans usually say artesanía.
When do people say it?
The muralists Diego Rivera, José Clemente Orozco and David Alfaro Siqueiros made public wall painting a central part of Mexican art.
Did you know?
- The Palacio de Bellas Artes in Mexico City has murals by Rivera, Orozco and Siqueiros inside.
Examples in context
- Me gusta el arte mexicano.I like Mexican art.
- Vamos al museo de arte moderno.Let's go to the museum of modern art.
- En el mercado venden mucha artesanía.They sell a lot of handicrafts at the market.
Example conversation
Daniela and her cousin Pablo decide how to spend Saturday in Mexico City.
- Daniela¿Quieres ir a ver arte?Do you want to go see art?
- PabloSí, vamos al Palacio de Bellas Artes.Yes, let's go to the Palace of Fine Arts.
- DanielaPerfecto, salimos a las diez.Perfect, we leave at ten.
