Estados Unidos
/esˌtados uˈnidos/
Estados Unidos is the Spanish phrase for the United States of America.
Estados Unidos is the direct translation of 'United States' and can be used in any formal context.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase is a literal translation of 'United States', where 'Estados' means 'States' and 'Unidos' means 'United'.
Is it said differently in some regions?
The term Los Yanquis is occasionally used in Spain to refer to people from the United States.
How does it change in a sentence?
In most contexts, the definite article los is used before the phrase when it functions as a noun. However, when used with a preposition of location like en (in), the definite article is often omitted in many Spanish-speaking regions, such as in en Estados Unidos.
How do you pronounce it?
/esˌtados uˈnidos/
What mistakes should you avoid?
Because the phrase is grammatically plural, it requires plural verb agreement. Do not treat Estados Unidos as a singular noun.
Did you know?
- While Estados Unidos is the official name, many Spanish speakers use the shorthand EE. UU. in writing. Unlike English abbreviations, the double letters indicate that both the first and last names of the phrase are plural.
- In several Latin American countries, the word gringo is used to refer to people from Estados Unidos. While sometimes derogatory, it is often used as a neutral descriptive term for any English-speaking foreigner.
- The term estadunidense is a single adjective used to describe someone or something from Estados Unidos. It is often preferred over norteamericano to be more precise and avoid grouping other North American nations together.
Examples in context
- Me gustaría visitar los Estados Unidos algún día.I would like to visit the United States someday.
- ¿Conoces a alguien que viva en EE. UU.?Do you know anyone who lives in the U.S.?
- Yo vivo en Estados Unidos.I live in the United States.
- Él quiere viajar a Estados Unidos.He wants to travel to the United States.
- Estados Unidos es un país muy grande.The United States is a very large country.
Example conversation
Javier and Lucía are talking about their future vacation plans.
- JavierQuiero ir a Estados Unidos este verano.I want to go to the United States this summer.
- Lucía¡Qué bien! Yo también quiero ir.That's great! I want to go too.
- JavierPodemos visitar Nueva York juntos.We can visit New York together.
- LucíaMe parece una idea excelente, Javier.That sounds like an excellent idea, Javier.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry Estados Unidos, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
