distante
/disˈtante/
The English phrase "distant" translates to Spanish as distante. If unsure, use distante. Wiktionary also lists remoto and que hila largo.
Meaning: far off (noun)
Ways to say it
| Spanish | IPA |
|---|---|
| distante | /disˈtante/ |
| remoto | /reˈmoto/ |
| que hila largo | /ke ila laɾɡo/ (from spelling rules) |
The word distante is used to describe both physical distance, such as a distant star and emotional detachment, such as a distant person.
Which one should you use?
While distante can refer to emotional distance, remoto is more commonly used to describe physical distance in remote locations or very distant points in time.
How does it change in a sentence?
The adjective distante must agree in number with the noun it modifies, changing to distantes for plural nouns.
How do you pronounce it?
/disˈtante/
Did you know?
- The Spanish word largo is a cognate of the English word 'large', but they have swapped meanings. In Spanish, largo refers to length, while 'large' refers to size.
- Spanish has a specific distinction between distante and lejano where lejano is the more common daily term for physical distance.
- Because largo refers to length, it is used in many Spanish idioms to describe things that are far-reaching or extended, not just physical distance.
Examples in context
- A veces parece muy distante.Sometimes he seems very distant.This sentence shows how to describe someone's personality using distante.Tatoeba #663570 by Shishir, translation #663460 by Zifre
- Plutón es tan pequeño y distante.Pluto is so small and distant.This sentence uses distante to describe a celestial body.Tatoeba #8540269 by diegohn, translation #8132832 by Amastan
- Nosotros vimos el brillo de un faro distante.We saw the gleam of a distant lighthouse.This sentence uses distante to describe a lighthouse.Tatoeba #1179255 by marcelostockle, translation #25857 by AlanF_US
- 6 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
María and Daniel are looking at the horizon during a trip.
- MaríaMira esa montaña distante.Look at that distant mountain.
- DanielSí, se ve muy pequeña.Yes, it looks very small.
- MaríaEs un lugar distante y frío.It is a distant and cold place.
- DanielMe gustaría visitarla algún día.I would like to visit it someday.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “distant” translations and entries distante, remoto, 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.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries distante, largo, que, remoto, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
