coma
/ˈkoma/feminine
The Spanish word for the punctuation mark comma is coma.
coma refers to the punctuation mark (,) used in writing.
Meaning: punctuation mark ',' (noun)
Which one should you use?
The word coma is a homonym. It can refer to the punctuation mark or to a medical state of unconsciousness (coma).
How does it change in a sentence?
coma is a feminine noun.
How do you pronounce it?
/ˈkoma/
Did you know?
- The use of the coma in Spanish is more strictly regulated by the RAE than in English, specifically forbidding its use between a subject and a verb.
- While coma refers to a punctuation mark and a medical state, it is also the first-person singular present subjunctive form of the verb comer ('to eat').
- In many Spanish-speaking countries, a comma is used as a decimal separator, whereas English speakers use a full stop.
Examples in context
- Una coma no es necesaria aquí.A comma isn't necessary here.This sentence shows how to express that a comma is not required in a specific location.Tatoeba #5022412 by don_ramon, translation #13051473 by araneo
- Después de la coma se usa minúsculas.After a comma, you use lowercase letters.This sentence illustrates the rule of using lowercase letters after a comma.Tatoeba #8893184 by arh, translation #9176750 by DJ_Saidez
- Tom está triste, como en las frases alemanas él a menudo está separado de Mary por una coma.Tom is sad, as in German sentences he is often separated from Mary by a comma.This sentence demonstrates how a comma can be used to separate elements within a sentence.Tatoeba #5053852 by albrusgher, translation #1925976 by Eldad
- En la tienda, compré manzanas, naranjas, peras y plátanos.At the store, I bought apples, oranges, pears, and bananas.
- Mi hermana, una pintora talentosa, vive en Madrid.My sister, a talented painter, lives in Madrid.
- 8 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Javier and Sofía are proofreading a text together.
- JavierOlvidaste poner una coma aquí.You forgot to put a comma here.
- SofíaTienes razón, la coma falta.You are right, the comma is missing.
- JavierEsta coma cambiará el sentido.This comma will change the meaning.
- SofíaYa la he corregido.I have already corrected it.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “comma” translations and entries coma, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
