novela gráfica
/nobela ɡɾafika/from spelling rulesfeminine
The English phrase "graphic novel" is translated into Spanish as novela gráfica.
Meaning: comic book (noun)
Which one should you use?
The term novela gráfica specifically implies a longer, more complex narrative. In contrast, the word cómic is a more general term used for standard comic books or to refer to the medium of comics as a whole.
How does it change in a sentence?
The word is a feminine noun, so you use the feminine article la when referring to a specific one, such as la novela gráfica. To form the plural, both the noun and the adjective take the suffix -s, resulting in novelas gráficas.
Did you know?
- While novela gráfica refers to the book, the word novela is also the common term for a 'soap opera' or 'telenovela' on television.
- The word novela originates from the Italian novella, which originally meant a 'short tale' rather than the long, complex stories we associate with the word 'novel' today.
- In many Latin American countries, you might encounter the word historieta to describe comics or graphic novels. This term translates literally to 'little story' and focuses on the narrative sequence.
Examples in context
- Esa novela gráfica es muy famosa.That graphic novel is very famous.
- Compré una novela gráfica nueva ayer.I bought a new graphic novel yesterday.
- Me encanta el dibujo de esta novela gráfica.I love the art of this graphic novel.
Example conversation
Lucía and Alejandro are in a bookstore.
- Lucía¿Has leído esta novela gráfica?Have you read this graphic novel?
- AlejandroNo, pero parece muy interesante.No, but it looks very interesting.
- LucíaEs la mejor novela gráfica del año.It is the best graphic novel of the year.
- AlejandroEntonces voy a comprarla ahora.Then I am going to buy it now.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “graphic novel” translations and entries novela gráfica, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- IPA marked “from spelling rules” is derived from standard Spanish spelling, where Wiktionary gives none.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries novela, CC BY-SA 4.0.
