criollo
/ˈkɾjoʝo/masculine
The English word "creole" is translated into Spanish as criollo. Wiktionary also lists lengua criolla.
Meaning: lect descended from a pidgin language (noun)
Ways to say it
| Spanish | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| criollo | /ˈkɾjoʝo/ | masculine |
| lengua criolla | /lenɡwa kɾjoʝa/ (from spelling rules) | feminine |
In Spanish, the term refers to a lect descended from a pidgin language.
Which one should you use?
The form criollo is masculine, while lengua criolla is feminine. When used as an adjective to describe a language, the word is criollo for masculine nouns and criolla for feminine nouns.
How does it change in a sentence?
The adjective criollo must agree in gender with the noun it modifies, changing to criolla when describing a feminine noun like lengua.
How do you pronounce it?
/ˈkɾjoʝo/
Did you know?
- Beyond linguistics, criollo is the name of a specific breed of horse and cattle common in South America, known for their hardiness.
- While lengua criolla describes a language, the word criollo alone is frequently used in gastronomy to describe traditional dishes from the coast of Peru.
- In many Latin American countries, the adjective criollo has nothing to do with language and instead refers to people of pure European descent born in the Americas.
Examples in context
- El chavacano es una lengua criolla con base en español.Chavacano is a Spanish-based creole language.This sentence is useful for identifying a specific Spanish-based creole language using the phrase lengua criolla.Tatoeba #4079892 by ecorralest101, translation #4079116 by mervert1
- Ese dialecto es un criollo basado en el francés.That dialect is a creole based on French.
Example conversation
Mateo and Elena are discussing linguistics in a classroom.
- MateoElena, ¿qué es exactamente un criollo?Elena, what exactly is a creole?
- ElenaEs una lengua que nace de un pidgin.It is a language born from a pidgin.
- MateoEntonces, el criollo tiene hablantes nativos.So, the creole has native speakers.
- ElenaExacto, Mateo, esa es la diferencia principal.Exactly, Mateo, that is the main difference.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “creole” translations and entries criollo, 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.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
