imperio
/imˈpeɾjo/masculine
The Spanish word for empire is imperio.
imperio is a masculine noun used to describe a political unit ruled by an emperor.
Meaning: political unit ruled by an emperor (noun)
Is it said differently in some regions?
In Spain, you may hear the term imperio colonial (colonial empire) in specific discussions.
How does it change in a sentence?
The plural form of imperio is imperios.
How do you pronounce it?
/imˈpeɾjo/
Did you know?
- The Spanish word imperio shares a common ancestor with the English word 'perishable', because both stem from the Proto-Indo-European root meaning 'to pass through' or 'to go through'.
- Spanish uses imperio to describe the 'Empire Waist' style of dress (corte imperio), referring to the high waistline popularized during the Napoleonic era.
- While imperio refers to a political state, the related verb imperar is often used in Spanish to describe how a certain feeling or weather condition 'reigns' or 'prevails' over a place.
Examples in context
- Babur fundó el Imperio Mogol.Babur established the Mughal Empire.This sentence shows how to use imperio when naming a specific historical empire.Tatoeba #10010208 by manufrutos, translation #3622940 by sabretou
- Portugal tuvo un gran imperio.Portugal had a great empire.This sentence describes a nation possessing a large empire.Tatoeba #10030095 by Shishir, translation #10465443 by DJ_Saidez
- En mi imperio nunca se pone el sol.The sun never sets on my empire.This sentence uses imperio in a metaphorical sense.Tatoeba #1134802 by Shishir, translation #1837631 by Scott
- El Imperio Romano conquistó gran parte de Europa.The Roman Empire conquered a large part of Europe.
- El Imperio Británico tuvo una vasta influencia en todo el mundo.The British Empire had a vast influence worldwide.
- La familia Gómez ha construido un pequeño imperio de negocios.The Gomez family has built a small business empire.
- 23 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Daniel and Elena are visiting a history museum.
- DanielEse imperio era muy poderoso.That empire was very powerful.
- ElenaSí, su extensión era enorme.Yes, its extent was huge.
- DanielMe fascina la historia del imperio.I am fascinated by the history of the empire.
- ElenaA mí también me encanta.I love it too.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “empire” translations and entries imperio, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries imperio, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
