destino
/desˈtino/masculine
The Spanish word for destination is destino. Wiktionary also lists destinación.
Meaning: the place set for the end of a journey, or to which something is sent (noun)
Ways to say it
| Spanish | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| destino | /desˈtino/ | masculine |
| destinación | /destinaˈθjon/ /destinaˈsjon/ |
feminine |
The term destino is used to refer to the place set for the end of a journey or the place to which something is sent. It is also used to mean the concept of 'fate' or 'destiny'.
Which one should you use?
While destino refers to a physical destination or one's fate, destinación is a technical term reserved for specific administrative or legal contexts, such as the allocation or assignment of funds or resources.
How does it change in a sentence?
destino is a masculine noun and destinación is a feminine noun.
How do you pronounce it?
/desˈtino/
What mistakes should you avoid?
English speakers often mistakenly use destinación when they mean a physical destination. Instead, you should use destino to refer to a place or fate.
Did you know?
- The word destino comes from the Latin dēstināre, which originally meant to make firm or establish a boundary.
- In some Spanish-speaking regions, the phrase destino final is used in a double sense to refer to both a traveler's last stop and a person's ultimate fate or death.
- Because destino means both 'destination' and 'fate', a Spanish speaker might say es mi destino to describe both a travel goal and a spiritual calling.
Examples in context
- ¿Cuál es tu destino?What's our destination?This sentence is useful for asking about a destination using destino.Tatoeba #7851893 by arh, translation #2645644 by CK
- Acaban de llegar a su destino.They just arrived at their destination.This sentence is useful for describing arrival at a destination using destino.Tatoeba #3870716 by Shishir, translation #5531363 by tabular
- Esta carta no llegará a su destino.This letter won't reach its destination.This sentence is useful for stating that an item will not reach its destination using destino.Tatoeba #2268951 by hayastan, translation #2268950 by _undertoad
- ¿Cuál es tu destino favorito?What is your favorite destination?
- 14 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Elena and Daniel are discussing their travel plans.
- ElenaYa elegí mi destino para las vacaciones.I already chose my destination for the holidays.
- Daniel¿Y cuál es el destino, Elena?And what is the destination, Elena?
- ElenaQuiero ir a Japón este año.I want to go to Japan this year.
- DanielEs un destino increíble, Daniel lo confirma.It is an incredible destination, Daniel confirms it.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “destination” translations and entries destino, destinación, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries destinación, destino, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
