cultura
/kulˈtuɾa/
The Spanish word for culture is cultura.
cultura refers to the beliefs, values, behavior and material objects that constitute a people's way of life.
Meaning: the beliefs, values, behavior and material objects that constitute a people's way of life (noun)
Which one should you use?
While cultura is the standard term, if you wish to emphasize the advanced aspects of a society, you may use the more formal synonym civilización. In slang, the word rollo can be used to refer to a particular vibe, atmosphere or cultural scene.
How does it change in a sentence?
cultura is a feminine noun and is used with the feminine definite article la (la cultura). The related adjective form is cultural.
How do you pronounce it?
/kulˈtuɾa/
Did you know?
- The Spanish word cultura shares its ancestral roots with the English word 'culture', but they both trace back to a much older concept of 'tilling' or 'cultivating' the soil.
- In Spanish, you can describe someone as having 'mucha cultura' to imply they are highly educated or sophisticated, rather than just referring to their ethnic background.
- While cultura is broad, Spanish speakers often use the word costumbre to describe the specific, lived habits of a culture that English speakers might simply call 'cultural norms'.
Examples in context
- Es una cultura muy pragmática.It is a very pragmatic culture.This example shows how to describe a specific culture as pragmatic using cultura.Tatoeba #7971938 by Seael, translation #3075709 by AlanF_US
- Ellas tienen su propia cultura.They have their own culture.This example demonstrates how to say a group has their own culture using cultura.Tatoeba #1869746 by Shishir, translation #1869284 by CM
- Aprendí sobre la cultura griega.I learned about Greek culture.This example shows how to use cultura when talking about learning about a specific culture like Greek culture.Tatoeba #1195267 by Shishir, translation #63102 by CK
- La cultura antigua de los aztecas fue rica y compleja.The ancient culture of the Aztecs was rich and complex.
- Me encanta la música y el rollo de la cultura caribeña.I love the music and vibe of Caribbean culture.
- La cultura española es famosa por su pasión por el fútbol.Spanish culture is famous for its passion for soccer.
- 88 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Elena and Javier are discussing a documentary they watched.
- ElenaEsa cultura parece muy antigua.That culture seems very ancient.
- JavierSí, es fascinante conocer su cultura.Yes, it is fascinating to learn about their culture.
- ElenaJavier, ¿te interesa la historia?Javier, are you interested in history?
- JavierMucho, me encanta estudiar la cultura de otros países.A lot, I love studying the culture of other countries.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry cultura, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries cultura, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
