El Paso
/el ˈpaso/
El Paso is the Spanish name for the city located in the state of Texas, United States.
In certain local contexts, particularly within the Chicano Spanish dialect, the informal nickname El Chuco is used to refer to the city.
What does it mean word for word?
Literally, el paso translates to the step or the pass.
Is it said differently in some regions?
The nickname El Chuco is rooted in the local Chicano Spanish dialect.
How do you pronounce it?
/el ˈpaso/
Did you know?
- The city of El Paso is part of one of the world's largest binational urban areas, creating a single metropolitan region shared with Ciudad Juárez.
- The word paso shares the same linguistic ancestor as the English word 'pace'. Both come from the Latin 'passus', which originally described the act of spreading or stretching out one's limbs.
Examples in context
- La conferencia se llevará a cabo en El Paso, Texas.The conference will take place in El Paso, Texas.
- La conferencia se llevará a cabo en El Paso, Texas, del 15 al 17 de agosto.The conference will take place in El Paso, Texas, from August 15th to 17th.
- Mi hermano vive en El Paso.My brother lives in El Paso.
- ¿Has visitado alguna vez El Paso?Have you ever visited El Paso?
- El clima en El Paso es muy seco.The weather in El Paso is very dry.
Example conversation
Lucía and Javier are talking about travel plans.
- LucíaJavier, ¿vas a viajar a El Paso este verano?Javier, are you going to travel to El Paso this summer?
- JavierSí, tengo que ir a El Paso por trabajo.Yes, I have to go to El Paso for work.
- LucíaQué bueno, espero que disfrutes tu viaje.That's great, I hope you enjoy your trip.
- JavierGracias, Lucía, te lo contaré todo.Thanks, Lucía, I'll tell you all about it.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry El Paso, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries el, paso, CC BY-SA 4.0.
