Ways to say it
| Spanish | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| pasillo | /paˈsiʝo/ | masculine |
| hall (hol) | masculine | |
| jol | /xol/ (from spelling rules) | Spain, masculine |
| antesala | /anteˈsala/ | feminine |
| zaguán | /θaˈɡwan/ /saˈɡwan/ |
masculine |
The most versatile term is pasillo, which can refer to a hallway in a house, an aisle in a supermarket or a corridor in an office. You can also use the phrase Pasillo sin salida to mean a dead-end hallway and En el fondo del pasillo to mean at the end of the hall.
Which one should you use?
While pasillo is the general term for a hallway, use antesala if you are referring specifically to a small waiting room or an anteroom that leads into a larger room. Use zaguán when referring specifically to the entrance hall or the vestibule area immediately inside the front door of a house.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In certain Spanish contexts, particularly in Spain, the term jol is used. This is a phonetic spelling of the English word 'hall' and is less common than pasillo.
How do you pronounce it?
/paˈsiʝo/
Did you know?
- The word pasillo is also the name of a traditional folk music and dance style from Colombia and Ecuador.
- The suffix -illo in pasillo is a diminutive, meaning the word literally translates to a 'little passage'.
- The term zaguán refers to a specific architectural feature typical of traditional Spanish houses that connects the street to the inner courtyard.
Examples in context
- Mary corrió por el pasillo.Mary ran down the hall.This sentence shows someone running down the hall.Tatoeba #10063070 by manufrutos, translation #10062369 by ddnktr
- ¿Podemos hablar en el pasillo?Can we speak in the hall?This sentence is a way to ask if you can speak in the hall.Tatoeba #7872873 by arh, translation #3183443 by CK
- El aseo está al fondo del pasillo.The bathroom is at the end of the hall.This sentence describes the location of a bathroom at the end of the hall.Tatoeba #7147841 by arh, translation #35263 by CK
- La conferencia se llevará a cabo en el vestíbuloThe conference will take place in the hall.
- El evento tendrá lugar en la sala principalThe event will take place in the main hall.
- La boda se celebrará en el salón de baileThe wedding will be held in the ballroom.
- El dormitorio está al final del pasilloThe bedroom is at the end of the hall.
- Los baños están al lado del corredor centralThe bathrooms are next to the central corridor.
- Nos encontraremos en el recinto de la conferenciaWe will meet in the conference hall.
- 12 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Mateo and María are walking through an apartment building.
- MateoEl pasillo es muy largo.The hallway is very long.
- MaríaSí, es un pasillo muy estrecho.Yes, it is a very narrow hallway.
- Mateo¿Ves la puerta al final del pasillo?Do you see the door at the end of the hallway?
- MaríaNo la veo, Mateo.I don't see it, Mateo.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “hall” translations and entries pasillo, antesala, zaguán, 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 antesala, hall, pasillo, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
