sala de estar
/ˌsala de esˈtaɾ/feminine
The English phrase 'lounge' can be translated into Spanish as sala de estar. If unsure, use sala de estar. Wiktionary also lists estancia.
Meaning: living room (noun)
Ways to say it
| Spanish | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| sala de estar | /ˌsala de esˈtaɾ/ | feminine |
| estancia | /esˈtanθja/ /esˈtansja/ |
feminine |
The term refers to a living room or a lounge within a home. In many Spanish-speaking households, people simply shorten 'sala de estar' to just sala when referring to the lounge.
Which one should you use?
Sala de estar is the most common way to refer to a living room or lounge in a residential context. In contrast, estancia is a more formal or sophisticated way to refer to a living area or a large room in a house.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In Spain, the term zona de descanso is used to refer to a lounge area.
Related words
How does it change in a sentence?
Because sala is a feminine noun, you must use the feminine article la when referring to the living room, as in la sala de estar. Both sala de estar and estancia are feminine nouns.
How do you pronounce it?
/ˌsala de esˈtaɾ/
Did you know?
- In some contexts, estancia refers to more than just a room in a house. In South America, it can refer to a vast cattle ranch or estate.
- In many Spanish-speaking cultures, the sala is treated as a formal area for guests, while the family spends most of their time in a separate 'family room' or estancia.
- The word sala shares a common ancestor with the English word 'salon' and the French word 'salle', both tracing back to a Proto-Indo-European root meaning 'human settlement' or 'dwelling'.
Examples in context
- El vestíbulo del hotel es amplio y cómodo, perfecto para relajarse después de un largo día de trabajo.The hotel's lounge is spacious and comfortable, perfect for relaxing after a long day at work.
- Después de la cena, nos reunimos en la sala de estar para ver una película en familia.After dinner, we gather in the lounge to watch a movie as a family.
- Vamos a tomar un café en el cuarto de estar y charlar un rato.Let's have a coffee in the lounge and chat for a while.
- La antesala del teatro es un lugar cómodo donde puedes esperar antes de que comience la función.The theater lounge is a comfortable place where you can wait before the show starts.
- Siéntate en la zona de descanso y relájate antes de continuar con tus compras.Sit in the lounge area and relax before continuing with your shopping.
- La sala de estar es muy amplia.The living room is very spacious.
- Estamos limpiando la sala de estar.We are cleaning the living room.
- Hay mucha luz en la sala de estar.There is a lot of light in the living room.
Example conversation
Daniel and Sofía are deciding where to watch a movie.
- Daniel¿Dónde quieres ver la película, Sofía?Where do you want to watch the movie, Sofía?
- SofíaPrefiero verla en la sala de estar.I prefer to watch it in the living room.
- DanielEstá bien, voy a buscar las palomitas.That's fine, I'm going to get the popcorn.
- SofíaPerfecto, Daniel, te espero allí.Perfect, Daniel, I'll wait for you there.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “lounge” translations and entries sala de estar, estancia, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries de, estancia, estar, sala, CC BY-SA 4.0.
