Cuba
/ˈkuba/feminine
Cuba is the Spanish name for the country and largest island in the Caribbean.
Cuba refers to the nation located in the Caribbean.
Meaning: country and largest island in Caribbean (name)
Which one should you use?
While Cuba is the standard name, you may see La República de Cuba or La Isla de Cuba used in official contexts and the informal nickname La Perla del Caribe.
How does it change in a sentence?
Cuba is a feminine noun.
How do you pronounce it?
/ˈkuba/
Did you know?
- The name Cuba likely comes from the Taíno words cubao meaning 'abundant fertile land' or coabana meaning 'great place'.
- While the name of the island is Cuba, the Spanish word cuba (lowercase) refers to a large wooden barrel or cask used for liquids.
Examples in context
- ¿Está Cuba en el Caribe?Is Cuba in the Caribbean?This sentence is useful for asking about the geographical location of Cuba.Tatoeba #13718286 by Seael, translation #13718283 by rul
- España gobernaba Cuba en ese tiempo.Spain ruled Cuba at that time.This sentence is useful for discussing the historical governance of Cuba.Tatoeba #1279250 by marcelostockle, translation #807066 by Source_VOA
- En Cuba se cultiva mucha caña de azúcar.A lot of sugar cane is grown in Cuba.This sentence is useful for discussing agriculture in Cuba.Tatoeba #2258089 by hayastan, translation #2258088 by _undertoad
- Cuba es una isla hermosa en el Caribe.Cuba is a beautiful island in the Caribbean.
- 10 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Mateo and Lucía are discussing their future travel plans.
- MateoMe gustaría visitar Cuba algún día.I would like to visit Cuba someday.
- Lucía¡Qué bien! Cuba es un país hermoso.That's great! Cuba is a beautiful country.
- MateoSí, quiero conocer la cultura de Cuba.Yes, I want to get to know the culture of Cuba.
- LucíaSeguro que te encantará Cuba.I'm sure you will love Cuba.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “cuba” translations and entries Cuba, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries Cuba, cuba, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
