monje
/ˈmonxe/masculine
The English word "monk" is translated into Spanish as monje.
monje refers to a male member of a monastic order.
Meaning: male member of monastic order (noun)
How does it change in a sentence?
The feminine form of monje is monja (nun), and the plural form is monjes (monks).
How do you pronounce it?
/ˈmonxe/
Did you know?
- The word monje also refers to a specific type of small, singing bird in some Spanish-speaking regions, such as the monje or 'monk parakeet'.
- Spanish distinguishes strictly between monje and fraile, with the latter usually referring to friars who work in the community rather than secluded monks.
- The word monja is occasionally used in slang to describe a person who is being a 'killjoy' or is overly strict about rules in a social setting.
Examples in context
- Tom no es un monje.Tom isn't a monk.This sentence is useful for practicing the negative form of the noun monje.Tatoeba #13504439 by Serrot, translation #8959763 by CK
- El hábito no hace al monje.The robes do not make the monk.This sentence uses the noun monje within a common proverb.Tatoeba #514303 by Shishir, translation #10360961 by JimBreen
- Soy un monje.I am a monk.This sentence is useful for practicing the first-person singular use of monje.Tatoeba #1455789 by marcelostockle, translation #1455634 by nasirbal
- En la Iglesia de San Juan hay muchos frailesIn the Church of San Juan, there are many monks
- Mi hermano se convirtió en fraile hace dos añosMy brother became a monk two years ago
- El monje medita diariamente en silencioThe monk meditates daily in silence
- Me encantaría visitar un monasterio y conocer a los frailesI would love to visit a monastery and meet the monks
- 6 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Lucía and Mateo are visiting an old monastery.
- LucíaMira, aquel hombre es un monje.Look, that man is a monk.
- MateoParece muy tranquilo, Lucía.He seems very peaceful, Lucía.
- Lucía¿Crees que el monje vive aquí?Do you think the monk lives here?
- MateoSí, probablemente vive en el monasterio.Yes, he probably lives in the monastery.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “monk” translations and entries monje, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
