Ways to say it
| Spanish | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| comediante | /komeˈdjante/ | |
| humorista | /umoˈɾista/ | feminine, masculine |
| cómico | /ˈkomiko/ | masculine |
| standupero | /standupeɾo/ (from spelling rules) | masculine |
| cuentachistes | /ˌkwentaˈt͡ʃistes/ | feminine, masculine |
Spanish uses several terms for an entertainer depending on their specific style and the professional nuance you wish to convey. While comediante is a direct cognate, humorista is a very common term used to refer to comedians, particularly those specializing in humorous performances or storytelling.
Which one should you use?
While comediante is a direct cognate, humorista is a more professional-sounding way to refer to a comedian or someone who works in humor. If you are specifically referring to a performer who does stand-up comedy, you might use the colloquial term standupero. For someone who simply tells jokes, you can use cuentachistes, though this can sometimes carry a slightly dismissive or informal connotation compared to a professional comediante.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
To refer to a comedian in a formal way, you can use actor for males or actriz for females, followed by the adjective cómico or cómica respectively. In contrast, standupero is an informal term used specifically for stand-up comedians and cuentachistes is a colloquial term for a joke-teller.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In certain parts of Spain, the term monologuista is used to describe comedians who specialize in delivering monologues or one-person shows.
How does it change in a sentence?
The word comediante is an epicene noun, which means it has the same form for both masculine and feminine subjects. You only change the article (el comediante or la comediante). The word humorista and cuentachistes also function as both masculine and feminine nouns.
How do you pronounce it?
/komeˈdjante/
Did you know?
- The word cómico is a linguistic doublet of the word cómic, as both derive from the same ancient Greek root despite their different modern meanings.
- The term standupero uses the Spanish suffix -ero, which is traditionally used to name trades or professions such as panadero for 'baker' or zapatero for 'shoemaker'.
- In many Spanish-speaking cultures, calling a professional a cuentachistes can be an insult, as it implies they are merely a person reciting memorized jokes rather than a skilled performer.
Examples in context
- Tom es un comediante.Tom is a comedian.Tatoeba #2654091 by marcelostockle, translation #2548998 by CK
- Ese comediante es muy gracioso.That comedian is very funny.Tatoeba #1293188 by marcelostockle, translation #68471 by CK
- Ella no es tan buena cantante como comediante.She is not so much a singer as a comedian.Tatoeba #3272679 by cueyayotl, translation #312896 by CM
- Él es un cómico divertido.He is a funny comedian.
- Ella es una humorista talentosa.She is a talented comedian.
- Él es un comediante famoso.He is a famous comedian.
- Ella es una actriz cómica reconocida.She is a renowned comedic actress.
- ¡Ese chico es un cómico genial!That guy is a great comedian!
- 2 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Mateo and Lucía are talking about a show they saw.
- MateoMe encantó el comediante de anoche.I loved the comedian from last night.
- LucíaSí, Lucía piensa que es brillante.Yes, Lucía thinks he is brilliant.
- Mateo¿Quieres ir a ver a otro comediante?Do you want to go see another comedian?
- LucíaClaro, Mateo, busquemos uno hoy.Sure, Mateo, let's look for one today.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “comedian” translations and entries comediante, humorista, cómico, cuentachistes, 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 comediante, cómico, humorista, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
