discoteca
/diskoˈteka/feminine
The Spanish word for nightclub is discoteca. Wiktionary also lists club nocturno and boliche.
Meaning: establishment that is open late at night (noun)
Ways to say it
| Spanish | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| discoteca | /diskoˈteka/ | feminine |
| club nocturno | /klub noɡtuɾno/ (from spelling rules) | masculine |
| boliche | /boˈlit͡ʃe/ | South America, masculine |
A nightclub is an establishment that is open late at night. In Mexico, antro is a commonly used term for nightclubs.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase club nocturno is a literal translation of 'night club', where nocturno means 'nocturnal' or 'of the night'.
Which one should you use?
While club nocturno sounds more formal or descriptive, discoteca is the most common everyday term for a nightclub in most Spanish-speaking countries.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In Argentina and Uruguay, boliche is often used to refer to a nightclub.
How does it change in a sentence?
discoteca is a feminine noun, so it takes the feminine article la instead of the masculine el.
How do you pronounce it?
/diskoˈteka/
Did you know?
- While discoteca is the standard term, the Mexican slang antro literally means 'cave' or 'den'.
- The term discoteca was coined by combining disco with the suffix -teca, mirroring the way a record library was described.
- In some regions, boliche can also refer to a small neighborhood grocery store or a bowling alley, depending on the context.
Examples in context
- Tom llevó a Mary al club nocturno.Tom took Mary to a nightclub.This sentence shows how to use club nocturno.Tatoeba #10170525 by manufrutos, translation #10166041 by CK
- Los turistas fueron timados en la discoteca.The tourists were ripped off at the nightclub.This sentence shows how to use discoteca.Tatoeba #1439452 by peibolvig, translation #325580 by CK
- Voy a la discoteca para conocer gente nueva. Pero no sé si es le mejor sitio…I'm going to the nightclub to meet new people, but I'm not sure if it's the best place…Tatoeba #1351602 by wallebot, translation #6740590 by lucasmg123
- Vamos a la discoteca más famosa de la ciudad esta noche.Let's go to the most famous nightclub in the city tonight.
- El club nocturno ofrece música en vivo y una pista de baile increíble.The nightclub offers live music and an amazing dance floor.
- Anoche fuimos al mejor antro de la ciudad y bailamos toda la noche.Last night, we went to the best nightclub in the city and danced all night.
- En Buenos Aires hay muchos boliches que abren hasta altas horas de la madrugada.In Buenos Aires, there are many nightclubs that stay open until the early hours of the morning.
- 1 more sentence on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Javier and Elena are deciding where to go for the weekend.
- Javier¿Quieres ir a la discoteca nueva?Do you want to go to the new nightclub?
- ElenaNo, prefiero un bar más pequeño.No, I prefer a smaller bar.
- JavierPero la discoteca tiene mejores ofertas.But the nightclub has better deals.
- ElenaEstá bien, iremos a la discoteca.Fine, we will go to the nightclub.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “nightclub” translations and entries discoteca, club nocturno, boliche, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- IPA marked “from spelling rules” is derived from standard Spanish spelling, where Wiktionary gives none.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries boliche, club, discoteca, nocturno, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
