coronel
/koɾoˈnel/masculine
The Spanish word for colonel is coronel.
coronel is a masculine noun used to refer to a commissioned officer in the armed services.
Meaning: commissioned office in the armed services (noun)
How does it change in a sentence?
Although the noun is masculine in form, you can use the feminine article la to create la coronel when referring specifically to a female officer.
How do you pronounce it?
/koɾoˈnel/
Did you know?
- The term coronel traces its roots back to the Italian word colonnello, which describes the officer in charge of a column of soldiers.
- While the English word 'colonel' is famously difficult to pronounce with its silent 'l', the Spanish coronel is perfectly phonetic. Every letter is pronounced exactly as written, following the natural rhythm of the syllables.
- In many Spanish-speaking military structures, reaching the rank of coronel is the final threshold. It is the highest senior officer rank a soldier can hold before entering the 'generalate' to become a general.
Examples in context
- Fue ascendido a coronel hace dos años.He was promoted to colonel two years ago.This sentence shows how to use coronel when discussing a promotion.Tatoeba #1890584 by teskmon, translation #430019 by witbrock
- El coronel dijo que la situación está bajo control.The Colonel said the situation is under control.This sentence illustrates how to use coronel when reporting what an officer said.Tatoeba #1325961 by hayastan, translation #1326909 by CM
- El coronel es una persona justa, nunca haría lo que le acusaron de haber hecho.The colonel is a fair person. He'd never do what you say he did.This sentence demonstrates how to use coronel when describing a person's character.Tatoeba #2084520 by Shishir, translation #9373503 by DJ_Saidez
- El Coronel Juan Martínez liderará la tropa durante la ceremonia de hoy.Colonel Juan Martínez will lead the troop during today's ceremony.
- ¡Hola, Coronela Rodríguez! ¿Cómo has estado?Hello, Colonel Rodríguez! How have you been?
- 1 more sentence on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Alejandro and María are discussing a news report about the military.
- AlejandroVi una entrevista con el coronel ayer.I saw an interview with the colonel yesterday.
- María¿Qué dijo el coronel en la televisión?What did the colonel say on television?
- AlejandroEl coronel habló sobre los nuevos planes.The colonel spoke about the new plans.
- MaríaEs un coronel muy respetado.He is a very respected colonel.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “colonel” translations and entries coronel, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries coronel, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
