Ways to say it
| Spanish | IPA |
|---|---|
| indio | /ˈindjo/ |
| hindú | /inˈdu/ |
| indo | /indo/ (from spelling rules) |
When you want to say someone or something is from the country of India, you can use these terms. However, the word indio is also used to refer to the indigenous or aboriginal peoples of the Americas.
Which one should you use?
While indio can mean 'of India', it is frequently used to refer to the indigenous/aboriginal peoples of the Americas. To be more precise and avoid confusion with indigenous peoples of the Americas, the term hindú is the more common and precise term used to refer to people or things from India.
Related words
How does it change in a sentence?
The masculine plural form of the masculine noun indio is indios.
How do you pronounce it?
/ˈindjo/
What mistakes should you avoid?
English speakers should be careful using indio to mean 'from India' in many Spanish-speaking contexts, as it is often interpreted as referring to Native Americans.
Did you know?
- In common Spanish usage, hindú is used to describe anyone from India regardless of their religion, though in English 'Hindu' refers only to a follower of Hinduism.
- In some Spanish-speaking countries, calling someone an indio can be used as a classist slur to imply the person is uneducated or uncivilized.
- The term hindú originally comes from the Sanskrit word for the 'Indus River', rather than a specific word for a person.
Examples in context
- Mi amigo es indio.My friend is Indian.This sentence is useful for describing a person's nationality using indio.Tatoeba #1198289 by marcelostockle, translation #791250 by CN
- Él le enseñaba a un grupo de chicos indios.He taught a group of Indian boys.This sentence shows how to use indio to describe a group of boys.Tatoeba #1729213 by marcelostockle, translation #289316 by CK
- Este es el mejor restaurante indio de todo Tokio.This is the best Indian restaurant anywhere in Tokyo.This sentence demonstrates using indio to describe a restaurant.Tatoeba #1444862 by peibolvig, translation #55490 by CN
- 5 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Javier and Elena are discussing a book they are reading.
- JavierMe gusta mucho este libro indio.I really like this Indian book.
- Elena¿De qué trata la historia?What is the story about?
- JavierHabla sobre la cultura y el arte indio.It talks about Indian culture and art.
- ElenaParece muy interesante, Javier.It seems very interesting, Javier.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “indian” translations and entries indio, hindú, 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 hindú, indio, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
