Nueva York
/ˌnweba ˈʝoɾk/feminine
The English phrase 'New York City' is translated into Spanish as Nueva York.
Nueva York is used to refer to the name of the location. When you want to be specific about the city itself rather than the state, it is common to use the phrase la ciudad de Nueva York.
Meaning: largest city in the United States (name)
What does it mean word for word?
The name is a literal translation of 'New York', where Nueva means 'New' and York is kept as the proper name.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In some Caribbean dialects, particularly in Puerto Rico, Nueva York, Niu Yor is used to refer to New York City.
How does it change in a sentence?
The name is feminine, meaning any accompanying adjectives must be in the feminine form, such as la Nueva York de mis sueños.
How do you pronounce it?
/ˌnweba ˈʝoɾk/
Did you know?
- In some Spanish-speaking contexts, the phrase la Gran Manzana is used as a direct translation of 'The Big Apple' to refer to the city.
- While the city name is feminine, the word estado used for 'New York State' is masculine, meaning the gender changes depending on whether you are talking about the city or the state.
- The name Nueva York is a calque, a linguistic term for a phrase that is a direct word-for-word translation of another language. Instead of keeping the English sounds, the name was rebuilt using the Spanish word for 'new'.
Examples in context
- Mi tío vive en la ciudad de Nueva York.My uncle lives in New York City.This sentence shows how to use the phrase to state where someone lives.Tatoeba #7951193 by Seael, translation #3631399 by Lindoula
- Los policías de Nueva York usan uniformes azul oscuro.New York City policemen wear dark blue uniforms.This sentence uses the phrase to describe the policemen of the city.Tatoeba #1629906 by marcelostockle, translation #35879 by CK
- En 2001, terroristas atacaron el World Trade Center en Nueva York.Terrorists attacked the World Trade Center in New York City in 2001.This sentence uses the phrase to state where a historical event occurred.Tatoeba #2166262 by marcelostockle, translation #682164 by Source_VOA
- Nueva York es una ciudad fascinante llena de vida.New York is a fascinating city full of life.
- Voy a NYC el próximo mes. ¡Estoy emocionado!I'm going to NYC next month. I'm so excited!
- 4 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Two friends are discussing their future travel plans.
- Elena¿Quieres visitar Nueva York el próximo verano?Do you want to visit New York next summer?
- MateoSí, me encantaría ir a Nueva York contigo.Yes, I would love to go to New York with you.
- ElenaMateo, ¿sabes si es muy caro viajar allí?Mateo, do you know if it is very expensive to travel there?
- MateoEs un poco caro, pero vale la pena.It is a bit expensive, but it is worth it.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “new york city” translations and entries Nueva York, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries Nueva York, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
