rey
/ˈrei/masculine
The Spanish word for king is rey.
The term rey refers to a male of a royal family who is the supreme ruler of his nation. In certain contexts, you may also use monarca to refer to a king, which places a specific emphasis on the individual's role as a governing monarch.
Meaning: a male of a royal family who is the supreme ruler of his nation (noun)
Related words
How does it change in a sentence?
The masculine singular form is rey, which becomes reyes in the plural. If you are referring to a female monarch, the feminine form is reina and its plural is reinas. Additionally, the related verb coronar can mean to king someone in the context of playing checkers.
How do you pronounce it?
/ˈrei/
Did you know?
- In some Spanish-speaking cultures, rey is used as a term of endearment for a young boy or a romantic partner, similar to how English speakers use 'honey' or 'sweetie'.
- The English word 'regal' and the Spanish word rey both trace back to the same ancient root, the Proto-Indo-European *h₃rḗǵs, which meant 'to straighten' or 'to direct'.
- In Spanish, the expression está hecho un rey is used to describe someone who is being pampered or living in extreme luxury, regardless of their actual social rank.
Examples in context
- Fue un buen rey.He was a good king.The first sentence is useful for describing a former monarch using the form rey.Tatoeba #1365244 by marcelostockle, translation #1356323 by CK
- El rey no abdicó.The king didn't abdicate.The second sentence is useful for discussing the abdication of a monarch using the form rey.Tatoeba #1011580 by Shishir, translation #9741392 by DJ_Saidez
- El cliente es rey.The customer is king.The third sentence is useful for expressing the proverb that the customer is king using the form rey.Tatoeba #1943728 by marcelostockle, translation #11734334 by Adelpa
- El rey ArturoKing Arthur
- ¡Hola, rey!Hello, king!
- Mi papi es el rey en mi casaMy dad is the king in my house
- El monarca de la naciónThe king of the nation
- ¡Feliz cumpleaños, rey de mi corazón! Espero que tengas un día maravillosoHappy birthday, king of my heart! I hope you have a wonderful day.
- Mi abuelo es el rey de la familia. Siempre está ahí para cuidarnosMy grandfather is the king of the family. He's always there to take care of us.
- 213 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Lucía and Alejandro are visiting a museum of history.
- Lucía¿Quién es este rey?Who is this king?
- AlejandroEs el rey de España.He is the king of Spain.
- LucíaParece un rey muy joven.He looks like a very young king.
- AlejandroSí, asumió el trono temprano.Yes, he took the throne early.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “king” translations and entries rey, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries rey, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
