indígena
/inˈdixena/
The English word "indigenous" is translated into Spanish as indígena.
indígena is an adjective used to describe people, cultures or things that are born or engendered in, native to a land or region.
Meaning: born or engendered in, native to a land or region (adj)
Which one should you use?
While indígena refers specifically to ethnic or ancestral roots, nativo/a is more commonly used to describe plants, animals or someone born in a specific place.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In Argentina, aborigen is occasionally used as an alternative to indígena. In Spain, autóctono may be preferred over indígena in academic or formal contexts.
How does it change in a sentence?
The adjective indígena is invariable in gender but must agree in number with the noun it modifies.
How do you pronounce it?
/inˈdixena/
Did you know?
- In several Spanish-speaking countries, indígena is a formal legal status that grants specific constitutional rights to land and governance, rather than just a descriptive adjective.
- The Spanish word indígena comes from the Latin term indigena, meaning 'born within'.
- In certain historical contexts in Spain, the word indígena was used to refer to people from the Americas, similar to how 'Indian' was used in English, which can create confusion in older texts.
Examples in context
- Los indígenas australianos han comido canguros durante milenios.Indigenous Australians have eaten kangaroos for millennia.This sentence shows how to use indígena when referring to Australians.Tatoeba #6886899 by albrusgher, translation #1777856 by CS
- Su afición por el arte indígena mexicano se convirtió en su ruina.His love for indigenous Mexican art became his downfall.This sentence uses indígena to describe Mexican art.Tatoeba #706513 by hayastan, translation #876013 by papabear
- Mary es una infatigable defensora de los derechos de las comunidades indígenas.Mary is an indefatigable defender of the rights of indigenous communities.This sentence uses indígenas to describe the rights of communities.Tatoeba #7917272 by Seael, translation #10154149 by shekitten
- La cultura indígena de esta región es impresionante.The indigenous culture of this region is impressive.
- Los derechos de los pueblos indígenas deben ser protegidos.The rights of indigenous peoples must be protected.
- Los pueblos originarios luchan por la preservación de su cultura.Indigenous peoples fight for the preservation of their culture.
- 8 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Two students are discussing a history project in a library.
- MaríaEstamos estudiando la cultura indígena de esta región.We are studying the indigenous culture of this region.
- MateoEs un tema muy interesante para el examen.It is a very interesting topic for the exam.
- María¿Tienes algún libro sobre la flora indígena local?Do you have any books about the local indigenous flora?
- MateoNo, pero puedo buscarlo en la biblioteca.No, but I can look for it in the library.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “indigenous” translations and entries indígena, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries indígena, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
