gracia
/ˈɡɾaθja/feminine
The Spanish word for grace (as in elegant movement, poise or balance) is gracia. Wiktionary also lists donaire.
Meaning: elegant movement, poise or balance (noun)
Ways to say it
| Spanish | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| gracia | /ˈɡɾaθja/ /ˈɡɾasja/ |
feminine |
| donaire | /doˈnaiɾe/ | masculine |
gracia is used to describe elegance, charm or poise. However, in many common contexts, it also refers to humor, wit or the quality of being funny.
Which one should you use?
While gracia is the common word for grace or charm, donaire is a more literary and sophisticated term used to describe a person's elegance or poise.
Related words
How does it change in a sentence?
gracia is a feminine noun. The related verb agraciar means to adorn, decorate, embellish or dignify. Gracia is also used as a female given name.
How do you pronounce it?
/ˈɡɾaθja/
What mistakes should you avoid?
Do not confuse gracia (the noun for grace or charm) with gracias, which is the plural form used to express gratitude (thanks).
Did you know?
- If someone tells you ¡Qué gracia! with a sarcastic tone, they are not praising your grace but are actually saying 'How funny!' in a mocking way.
- The term donaire hides a connection to the word 'gift' or 'donation', as it stems from the Latin 'dōnārium'.
- In Spanish, the word gracia is used to describe both the elegance of a dancer and the 'punchline' of a joke.
Examples in context
- La gracia todavía no ha venido.Grace has not come yet.This sentence shows how to use gracia in a context of something arriving.Tatoeba #618712 by Shishir, translation #62778 by CN
- Dios te salve María, llena eres de gracia.Hail Mary, full of grace.This sentence uses gracia within a religious context.Tatoeba #9237590 by ecorralest101, translation #6633275 by Reonaato
- La belleza sin gracia es como una rosa sin aroma.Beauty without grace is like a rose without a scent.This sentence uses gracia to compare beauty and elegance.Tatoeba #2802365 by marcelostockle, translation #2802250 by patgfisher
- En el nombre del Padre, del Hijo y del Espíritu Santo, te damos gracias, Señor, por este alimento que vamos a recibir. Amén.In the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, we thank you, Lord, for this food we are about to receive. Amen.
- Señor, te agradecemos por este alimento que nos das hoy.Lord, we thank you for this food you give us today.
- Te damos gracias, Señor, por este momento de compartir y por los alimentos que nos brindas.We thank you, Lord, for this moment of sharing and for the food you provide us.
- ¡Gracias, Dios mío, por esta comida deliciosa y por estar reunidos aquí!Thank you, my God, for this delicious meal and for being gathered here!
- Te damos gracias, Señor, por esta comida rica y por tenernos a todos juntos en este momento.We thank you, Lord, for this tasty meal and for having us all together at this moment.
- ¡Dios, gracias por este banquete y por nuestros seres queridos reunidos hoy!God, thank you for this feast and for our loved ones gathered here today!
- ¡Buen provecho y bendiciones!Enjoy your meal and blessings!
- 7 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Elena and Daniel are watching a ballet performance.
- ElenaMira qué gracia tiene la bailarina.Look how much grace the dancer has.
- DanielSí, se mueve con mucha gracia.Yes, she moves with much grace.
- ElenaMe encanta su equilibrio y su gracia.I love her balance and her grace.
- DanielEs un espectáculo muy elegante.It is a very elegant show.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “grace” translations and entries gracia, donaire, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries donaire, gracia, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
