cosplay
/kosˈplei/masculine
The English phrase 'cosplay' is translated into Spanish as cosplay.
cosplay refers to the subculture centered on dressing as characters. The term is widely recognized in Spanish-speaking countries. To express the activity of cosplaying, Spanish speakers typically use the verb hacer, resulting in the phrase hacer cosplay.
Meaning: subculture centered on dressing as characters (noun)
Which one should you use?
While cosplay refers specifically to the subculture of character imitation, the verb disfrazarse is a more general term used for any kind of costuming, such as for Halloween or a party.
Related words
How does it change in a sentence?
The noun cosplay is masculine, appearing as el cosplay.
How do you pronounce it?
/kosˈplei/
Did you know?
- Although cosplay is used in Spanish, it is actually a double borrowing. Spanish took the word from English, but English had previously borrowed the shortened version of the term from Japanese コスプレ (kosupure).
- While cosplay is common in cities, some older Spanish speakers may still use the term caracterización to describe the act of transforming into a character, which implies a more theatrical or professional approach than a hobby.
- Using the verb disfrazarse for 'cosplay' can actually sound slightly reductive to enthusiasts, as it implies a simple costume rather than a dedicated character study.
Examples in context
- ¿Haces cosplay?Do you cosplay?Tatoeba #9684643 by manufrutos, translation #8572678 by Amastan
- El cosplay de ese personaje es impresionante.The cosplay of that character is impressive.
- Él dedica mucho tiempo a su cosplay.He dedicates a lot of time to his cosplay.
Example conversation
María and Daniel are at a comic convention.
- MaríaDaniel, ¡me gusta mucho tu cosplay!Daniel, I really like your cosplay!
- DanielGracias, María. Me costó mucho tiempo.Thanks, María. It took me a lot of time.
- MaríaTú siempre haces el mejor cosplay.You always do the best cosplay.
- DanielEres muy amable, gracias.You are very kind, thank you.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “cosplay” translations and entries cosplay, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries cosplay, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
