ayuntamiento
/aʝuntaˈmjento/masculine
In Spanish, city hall can be expressed using ayuntamiento. Wiktionary also lists alcaldía and consistorio.
Meaning: building (noun)
Ways to say it
| Spanish | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| alcaldía | /alkalˈdia/ | feminine |
| ayuntamiento | /aʝuntaˈmjento/ /aʃuntaˈmjento/ /aʒuntaˈmjento/ /ajuntaˈmjento/ |
masculine |
| consistorio | /konsisˈtoɾjo/ | masculine |
| casa consistorial | /ˌkasa konsistoˈɾjal/ | feminine |
The term used depends on whether you are referring to the physical building, the municipal government or the mayor's office.
Which one should you use?
ayuntamiento is a common term that refers to both the physical building and the municipal government institution. consistorio is a more formal or traditional term used to refer to the municipal council or the seat of the council. alcaldía specifically refers to the mayor's office.
How does it change in a sentence?
ayuntamiento is a masculine noun and is used with the masculine article el. alcaldía is a feminine noun and is used with the feminine article la.
How do you pronounce it?
/aʝuntaˈmjento/
Did you know?
- The term alcalde inside alcaldía is believed by many historians to have origins in the Arabic word al-qāḍī, meaning 'the judge'.
- The word ayuntamiento shares an ancestral root with the word yunta, which refers to a pair of oxen working together under a yoke.
- Depending on the country, using ayuntamiento can sound very 'Spanish' from Spain, while municipalidad is the preferred term in many Latin American cities.
Examples in context
- ¿Cuál calle va al ayuntamiento?Which road goes to city hall?This sentence uses ayuntamiento to ask about a road leading to the building.Tatoeba #3147696 by cueyayotl, translation #502511 by CK
- No puedes ganarle al ayuntamiento.You can't fight City Hall.This sentence uses ayuntamiento in a figurative sense about fighting the institution.Tatoeba #1469381 by marcelostockle, translation #1107772 by Scott
- El ayuntamiento se encuentra en el centro de la ciudad.The city hall is located at the center of the city.This sentence uses ayuntamiento to describe the physical location of the building.Tatoeba #2060061 by lazarus1907, translation #246196 by CK
- El Ayuntamiento de Madrid está en el centro de la ciudadThe City Hall of Madrid is in the city center
- Vamos a la fiesta en el Palacio MunicipalLet's go to the party at the City Hall
- Me reuniré contigo en la Casa ConsistorialI will meet you at the City Hall
- Disculpe, ¿dónde puedo encontrar el Ayuntamiento?Excuse me, where can I find city hall?
- ¿Vas a venir a la fiesta en el Palacio Municipal esta noche?Are you coming to the party at city hall tonight?
- 6 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Daniel and Lucía are walking through the city center.
- Daniel¿Sabes dónde está el ayuntamiento?Do you know where the city hall is?
- LucíaSí, el ayuntamiento está a la derecha.Yes, the city hall is to the right.
- DanielGracias, Lucía, es muy grande.Thanks, Lucía, it is very big.
- LucíaEs el edificio más importante de aquí.It is the most important building around here.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “city hall” translations and entries alcaldía, ayuntamiento, consistorio, casa consistorial, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries alcaldía, ayuntamiento, casa, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
