ciudad natal
/θjudad natal/from spelling rules
The English phrase 'home city' is translated into Spanish as ciudad natal.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase is composed of ciudad (city) and natal (relating to birth), literally meaning 'birth city'.
Which one should you use?
If the home city is actually a small town or village, a native speaker is more likely to use pueblo natal instead of ciudad natal.
How does it change in a sentence?
To say 'my home city', you add the possessive adjective mi before the phrase: mi ciudad natal.
How do you pronounce it?
/θjudad natal/
Did you know?
- If you are talking about your hometown in a very poetic or nostalgic way, you might refer to it as mi cuna ('my cradle').
- While ciudad natal refers to the place of birth, Spanish speakers often use the term patria chica to describe the deep, local affection they feel for their home town.
- The word ciudad is derived from the Latin cīvitātem, which referred not just to a physical place but to the body of citizens and their political community.
Examples in context
- Mi ciudad natal es Madrid.My home city is Madrid.
- Marta es de Buenos Aires, su ciudad natal.Marta is from Buenos Aires, her home city.
- ¿Cuál es tu ciudad natal?What is your home city?
- Yo soy de un pueblo llamado Cuenca.I am from a town called Cuenca.
- ¿De qué pueblo eres tú?What town are you from?
- Mi lugar de origen es Quito.My home city is Quito.
- Mi ciudad natal es muy pequeña.My home city is very small.
- ¿Cómo es tu ciudad natal?What is your home city like?
- Extraño mucho mi ciudad natal.I miss my home city a lot.
Example conversation
Mateo and Sofía are talking about where they grew up.
- MateoSofía, ¿cuál es tu ciudad natal?Sofía, what is your home city?
- SofíaMi ciudad natal es Sevilla.My home city is Seville.
- MateoEs un lugar muy hermoso.It is a very beautiful place.
- SofíaSí, me encanta vivir allí.Yes, I love living there.
Sources
- IPA marked “from spelling rules” is derived from standard Spanish spelling, where Wiktionary gives none.
