víspera
/ˈbispeɾa/feminine
In Spanish, the English phrase 'eve' is translated as víspera. Wiktionary also lists vigilia and trasnochada.
Meaning: day or night before (noun)
Ways to say it
| Spanish | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| víspera | /ˈbispeɾa/ | feminine |
| vigilia | /biˈxilja/ | feminine |
| trasnochada | /tɾasnoˈt͡ʃada/ | feminine |
The word víspera is used to refer to the day or night preceding a specific event or date. For example, you can use the phrase en la víspera de to say 'on the eve of' a certain event.
Which one should you use?
víspera refers to the day or night preceding an event. In contrast, vigilia often refers specifically to a religious vigil or a period of staying awake. Additionally, while the temporal word for 'eve' is víspera, the proper name 'Eve' is translated as Eva.
Related words
How does it change in a sentence?
The noun víspera is feminine and is typically used with the definite article la.
How do you pronounce it?
/ˈbispeɾa/
Did you know?
- In many Spanish-speaking cultures, the 'eve' of a major holiday like Christmas is often more significant for celebrations than the actual day of the holiday itself.
- The word víspera shares a common ancestor with the English word 'vespers', the traditional evening prayer service in Christian traditions.
- The word trasnochada is used for an 'eve' spent staying up late, but it carries a connotation of having stayed up past one's usual bedtime.
Examples in context
- Nochebuena es víspera de Navidad.Christmas Eve is the night before Christmas.This sentence is useful for showing how to use víspera to describe the relationship between Christmas Eve and Christmas.Tatoeba #1281506 by wallebot, translation #12230733 by Miktsoanit
- La víspera de Navidad es Nochebuena.The night before Christmas is Christmas Eve.This sentence illustrates the definition of Christmas Eve using víspera.Tatoeba #7583605 by arh, translation #12230740 by Miktsoanit
- Nochevieja no es la víspera de Navidad.New Year's Eve isn't the night before Christmas.This sentence shows how to distinguish between New Year's Eve and the day before Christmas using víspera.Tatoeba #7583604 by arh, translation #12245261 by Miktsoanit
- El discurso presidencial marcó la antesala de un cambio histórico.The presidential speech marked the eve of a historical change.
- ¡Feliz Nochebuena! ¿Ya tienes tus regalos listos?Merry Christmas Eve! Do you have your gifts ready?
- 7 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Lucía and Alejandro are discussing their holiday plans.
- LucíaMañana es la víspera del festival.Tomorrow is the eve of the festival.
- AlejandroSí, ¿tienes planes para esa noche?Yes, do you have plans for that night?
- LucíaVoy a cenar con mi familia.I am going to have dinner with my family.
- AlejandroQué bien, Lucía. Yo también.That's great, Lucía. Me too.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “eve” translations and entries víspera, vigilia, trasnochada, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries vigilia, víspera, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
