autor
/auˈtoɾ/masculine
The English phrase "author" translates to Spanish as autor. Wiktionary also lists autora and escritor.
Meaning: originator or creator of a work (noun)
Ways to say it
| Spanish | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| autor | /auˈtoɾ/ | masculine |
| autora | /auˈtoɾa/ | feminine |
| escritor | /eskɾiˈtoɾ/ | masculine |
The term is used to describe an originator or creator of a work.
Which one should you use?
autor is a general term for the creator of any work, such as a piece of music, a law or an idea. In contrast, escritor specifically refers to a writer of books or texts or someone whose profession or activity is writing.
Related words
How does it change in a sentence?
autora is the feminine form of autor. For plural forms, autores is used for a group of male authors or a mixed-gender group, while autoras is used exclusively for a group of female authors.
How do you pronounce it?
/auˈtoɾ/
Did you know?
- In Spanish legal contexts, the term autor is frequently used to describe the person who committed a crime, effectively meaning 'perpetrator'.
- The Spanish word autor shares a common ancestor with the Latin verb augeō, which means 'to increase' or 'to enlarge'.
- In Spanish, the phrase autor desconocido is the standard way to credit an 'anonymous' work when the creator is simply unknown.
Examples in context
- Él es un escritor.He's an author.This sentence is useful for using the word escritor.Tatoeba #1279966 by marcelostockle, translation #593248 by CK
- El autor es brasileño.The author is Brazilian.This sentence is useful for using the word autor.Tatoeba #688989 by Shishir, translation #703117 by papabear
- Él es mi autor favorito.He is my favourite author.Tatoeba #4974642 by cueyayotl, translation #9011965 by jaydenms
- El autor de este libro es muy reconocido en su campo.The author of this book is widely recognized in his field.
- El escritor ha publicado numerosos ensayos sobre literatura contemporánea.The author has published numerous essays on contemporary literature.
- El creador de esta novela ha cautivado a lectores de todas las edades.The author of this novel has captivated readers of all ages.
- María es una escritora muy talentosa y ha publicado varios bestsellers.María is a very talented author who has published several bestsellers.
- ¿Conoces al autor de ese famoso libro?Do you know the author of that famous book?
- El creador de esta saga se ha convertido en un referente para los amantes de la ciencia ficción.The author of this saga has become a benchmark for science fiction lovers.
- 77 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Javier and María are discussing a book at a cafe.
- Javier¿Conoces al autor de este libro?Do you know the author of this book?
- MaríaNo, pero el autor es muy famoso.No, but the author is very famous.
- JavierEs un autor con mucho talento.He is an author with a lot of talent.
- MaríaSí, Javier, su estilo es increíble.Yes, Javier, his style is incredible.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “author” translations and entries autor, autora, escritor, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries autor, autora, escritor, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
