período
/peˈɾiodo/masculine
The English word 'period' can be translated into Spanish as período or periodo, both meaning an interval of time.
Meaning: interval of time (noun)
Ways to say it
| Spanish | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| período | /peˈɾiodo/ | masculine |
| periodo | /peˈɾjodo/ | masculine |
The noun refers to an interval of time. It is also the standard and common way to refer to a menstrual cycle (el periodo). If you wish to express the English rhetorical usage of 'period' at the end of a sentence to signal finality, use the interjection y punto instead.
Which one should you use?
Both the accented form período and the unaccented form periodo are correct and widely used in Spanish.
Related words
How does it change in a sentence?
Both período and periodo are masculine nouns.
How do you pronounce it?
/peˈɾiodo/
Did you know?
- The root of período comes from the Greek word for 'going round in a circle', reflecting the idea of a recurring cycle.
- Unlike many Spanish words where the accent mark is mandatory for correctness, período is one of the few words where both the accented and unaccented versions are officially accepted.
- While periodo refers to time, a punctuation mark known as a 'period' in English is called punto in Spanish, meaning 'point'.
Examples in context
- No me ha venido el periodo.My period hasn't come.This sentence is useful for mentioning that a menstrual cycle has not arrived using the form periodo.Tatoeba #4317645 by pchamorro, translation #500377 by blay_paul
- Se me ha retrasado el periodo.I'm late with my period.This sentence is useful for mentioning that a menstrual cycle is late using the form periodo.Tatoeba #2053110 by wallebot, translation #2096202 by marcelostockle
- Esta costumbre comenzó durante el periodo Edo.This custom began during the Edo period.This sentence is useful for identifying a specific historical era using the form periodo.Tatoeba #1294063 by marcelostockle, translation #497732 by CK
- El período JurásicoThe Jurassic period
- ¡De ninguna manera, punto!No way, period!
- No voy, punto.I'm not going, period!
- ¡Basta, punto y final!Enough, period!
- La investigación cubrió un período de doce meses.The research covered a twelve-month period.
- ¡No voy a cambiar de opinión, punto!I won't change my mind, period!
- 25 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Lucía and Daniel are discussing a project timeline.
- LucíaEste proyecto durará un período de seis meses.This project will last for a period of six months.
- DanielEs un período muy largo para este trabajo.It is a very long period for this job.
- LucíaNecesitamos ese período para terminar todo bien.We need that period to finish everything well.
- DanielTienes razón, Lucía. Me parece razonable.You are right, Lucía. It seems reasonable to me.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “period” translations and entries período, periodo, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries período, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
