oriental
/oɾjenˈtal/
The English phrase 'eastern' is translated into Spanish as oriental or esteño.
Meaning: related to the east (adj)
Ways to say it
| Spanish | IPA |
|---|---|
| oriental | /oɾjenˈtal/ |
| esteño | /esˈteɲo/ |
The term oriental is used to describe things related to the east. However, it is most frequently used to refer to things related to Asia (the Orient) rather than a simple cardinal direction.
Which one should you use?
While oriental can mean 'eastern', it is more common to use the phrase 'del este' when describing a specific location or direction, such as the eastern part of a country.
How does it change in a sentence?
The adjective oriental must agree in gender and number with the noun it modifies (for example, oriental or orientales).
How do you pronounce it?
/oɾjenˈtal/
Did you know?
- In many Spanish-speaking countries, calling a person oriental can be seen as an outdated or even offensive way to refer to someone of Asian descent, rather than a simple geographic descriptor.
- While oriental describes the East in a global or cultural sense, the word esteño is highly localized and is most famously used to refer to people or things from the city of 'Ciudad del Este' in Paraguay.
- The word oriental shares its roots with the Latin verb orior, which means 'to rise', describing the sun as it rises in the east.
Examples in context
- Es común en las civilizaciones orientales.It's common in Eastern civilizations.This sentence shows how to use oriental when referring to civilizations.Tatoeba #7715972 by arh, translation #10265205 by DJ_Saidez
- Traducido, Tokio significa "capital oriental"."Tokyo" can be translated as "eastern capital".This sentence uses oriental to translate a specific title.Tatoeba #1527997 by marcelostockle, translation #6005851 by AlanF_US
- ¿Dónde vive él generalmente? En algún lugar de Europa Oriental.Where does he live, generally? In some part of Eastern Europe.This sentence demonstrates how to use oriental in the context of Eastern Europe.Tatoeba #4096108 by SrTortuga, translation #4102913 by jmcd93
- El sol nace en el lado oriental del horizonte.The sun rises in the eastern side of the horizon.
- Vivo en la parte del este de la ciudad.I live in the eastern part of the city.
- La costa del levante español es preciosa.The eastern coast of Spain is beautiful.
- Viajaremos hacia el oriente en busca de aventuras.We will travel east in search of adventures.
- La cultura oriental tiene una rica historia milenaria.Eastern culture has a rich millennia-old history.
- Viajaré hacia el este para visitar a mi familia.I will travel east to visit my family.
- Me encanta el paisaje del este de mi país.I love the landscape in the east of my country.
- Vamos a explorar el lado del este de esta ciudad.Let's explore the eastern side of this city.
- 3 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Alejandro and Sofía are browsing a bookstore.
- AlejandroBusco una novela de corte oriental.I am looking for an oriental style novel.
- SofíaHay muchas en la sección de historia oriental.There are many in the oriental history section.
- AlejandroSofía, ¿te interesa la cultura oriental?Sofía, are you interested in oriental culture?
- SofíaSí, me encanta todo lo oriental.Yes, I love everything oriental.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “eastern” translations and entries oriental, esteño, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries esteño, oriental, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
