escuela secundaria
/eskwela sekundaɾja/from spelling rules
The English phrase "junior high school" is translated into Spanish as escuela secundaria.
escuela secundaria refers to the school for children who have completed elementary school. In many Spanish-speaking contexts, it can also function as a general term covering the entire secondary education period, including both junior high and high school.
Meaning: school for children that have completed elementary school (noun)
Which one should you use?
While escuela secundaria can mean junior high school, it often serves as a broad term for all secondary education. In Spain, you will more commonly hear instituto de educación secundaria or simply el instituto to refer to this level of schooling.
Is it said differently in some regions?
escuela secundaria is the preferred term in Mexico, Central and South America. In many of these countries, including Mexico, secundaria is commonly used as a shorthand for escuela secundaria. In Spain, the term instituto de educación secundaria or el instituto is typically used instead.
Did you know?
- The word escuela comes from the Ancient Greek word skholḗ, which originally meant 'spare time' or 'leisure'.
- If you are in Spain and ask for el instituto, you are not asking for a professional training center, but rather a junior high or high school.
- In some Latin American countries, the transition to secundaria is marked by a formal ceremony that resembles a graduation more than a simple grade change.
Examples in context
- Tom era más bajo que yo en la escuela secundaria, pero ahora es más alto que yo.Tom was shorter than me in junior high school, but now he's taller than me.This sentence is useful for showing how to use escuela secundaria when comparing heights in the past.Tatoeba #10854966 by UristMcNani, translation #10754491 by CK
- En España, los estudiantes suelen entrar al instituto de educación secundaria a los 12 años.In Spain, students generally enter junior high school at the age of 12.
- Voy a la secundaria Benito Juárez.I go to Benito Juárez junior high school.
- Mi hermano estudia en la escuela secundaria.My brother studies at the junior high school.
- La escuela secundaria está cerca de mi casa.The junior high school is near my house.
Example conversation
Two friends are talking about their school years.
- Sofía¿Fuiste a la misma escuela secundaria que yo?Did you go to the same junior high school as me?
- MateoNo, yo fui a una escuela secundaria diferente.No, I went to a different junior high school.
- Sofía¡Qué lástima! Me gustaría conocer a tus amigos de entonces.What a shame! I would like to meet your friends from back then.
- MateoTal vez en el futuro podamos presentarlos.Maybe in the future we can introduce them.
Sources
- IPA marked “from spelling rules” is derived from standard Spanish spelling, where Wiktionary gives none.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries escuela, secundaria, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
