hombre negro
/ombɾe neɡɾo/from spelling rules
In Spanish, the phrase for "black man" is hombre negro.
The phrase refers to a man with dark skin, typically of African descent. While hombre negro is a common descriptive term, the term afrodescendiente is often used in more formal, political or academic contexts to refer to people of African descent.
Which one should you use?
hombre negro is a common descriptive term, whereas afrodescendiente is used more frequently in formal, political or academic settings. Additionally, moreno can be used as an informal term to refer to someone with dark or brown skin.
How do you pronounce it?
/ombɾe neɡɾo/
Did you know?
- In many Latin American countries, calling someone negro or negrito can actually be a term of endearment between friends or family, rather than a racial descriptor.
- The word hombre contains a hidden history of the earth, tracing back to a Proto-Indo-European root meaning 'earthling'.
- In certain Latin American contexts, the term moreno is used specifically to avoid the more direct term negro to be perceived as more polite.
Examples in context
- Mi amigo es un hombre negro muy talentoso.My friend is a very talented black man.
- El hombre negro es muy alto.The black man is very tall.
- Vi a un hombre negro en la calle.I saw a black man in the street.
- Ese hombre negro es un gran artista.That black man is a great artist.
Example conversation
Daniel and María are discussing a new coworker at the office.
- Daniel¿Conoces al nuevo empleado?Do you know the new employee?
- MaríaSí, es un hombre negro muy amable.Yes, he is a very kind black man.
- DanielÉl parece una buena persona.He seems like a good person.
- MaríaDaniel, creo que te caerá bien.Daniel, I think you will like him.
Sources
- IPA marked “from spelling rules” is derived from standard Spanish spelling, where Wiktionary gives none.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries hombre, negro, CC BY-SA 4.0.
