mar Caribe
/maɾ kaɾibe/from spelling rulesmasculine
The English phrase "caribbean sea" is translated into Spanish as mar Caribe.
mar Caribe is the name used to refer to the tropical sea located in the Western Hemisphere.
Meaning: a tropical sea in the Western Hemisphere (name)
Which one should you use?
While mar Caribe is the standard term, other forms exist depending on the level of formality or the specific region. For instance, El Mar de las Antillas is a more formal way to name this body of water.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In Puerto Rico, it is common to use El Mar Caribe. In Cuba, you will frequently hear both El Mar del Caribe and the shorter El Caribe.
How does it change in a sentence?
The phrase is masculine. When referring to the specific sea, it is preceded by the definite article el, resulting in el mar Caribe.
How do you pronounce it?
/maɾ kaɾibe/
Did you know?
- The term Caribe was not originally a geographical name but was a term used to mean 'person'.
- The word mar is a homonym in Spanish, as it is also the standard written abbreviation for marzo ('March').
- The Spanish word mar is a direct descendant of the Latin mare, making it a close relative of the English word 'marine'.
Examples in context
- Quiero visitar las hermosas playas del Mar Caribe.I want to visit the beautiful beaches of the Caribbean Sea.
- La vida es mejor cerca del Mar del Caribe.Life is better near the Caribbean Sea.
- Me encanta nadar en El Caribe.I love swimming in the Caribbean Sea.
- El mar Caribe es muy azul.The Caribbean Sea is very blue.
- Vamos a navegar por el mar Caribe.We are going to sail through the Caribbean Sea.
- El clima en el mar Caribe es tropical.The weather in the Caribbean Sea is tropical.
Example conversation
María and Javier are planning a vacation.
- MaríaQuiero ir a una playa del mar Caribe.I want to go to a beach in the Caribbean Sea.
- JavierEso suena genial, María.That sounds great, María.
- MaríaBusquemos un hotel frente al mar Caribe.Let's look for a hotel facing the Caribbean Sea.
- JavierDe acuerdo, yo busco los vuelos.Alright, I will look for the flights.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “caribbean sea” translations and entries mar Caribe, 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.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries Caribe, mar, CC BY-SA 4.0.
