póster
/ˈposteɾ/masculine
The English word 'poster' translates to Spanish as póster, cartel or afiche.
Meaning: picture intended to be attached to a wall (noun)
Ways to say it
| Spanish | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| póster | /ˈposteɾ/ | masculine |
| cartel | /kaɾˈtel/ | masculine |
| afiche | /aˈfit͡ʃe/ | masculine |
All three terms refer to a picture intended to be attached to a wall.
Which one should you use?
cartel is more commonly used for informative or advertising posters, such as those found in public spaces or on bulletin boards.
Is it said differently in some regions?
Afiche is a common term for a poster in many Latin American countries, particularly in the context of advertising or propaganda.
How does it change in a sentence?
All three forms are masculine nouns.
How do you pronounce it?
/ˈposteɾ/
What mistakes should you avoid?
Be aware that cartel in Spanish can also mean a criminal cartel or a business cartel, depending on the context.
Did you know?
- The term afiche is a linguistic traveler that arrived in Spanish from the French word affiche, which itself means a notice or a poster.
- Because póster is borrowed from English, it often carries an accent mark on the 'o' to fit Spanish pronunciation rules, a feature the English original lacks.
- In a political context, an afiche often refers specifically to a propaganda poster used during election campaigns in Latin America.
Examples in context
- Colgó el póster en la pared con cuatro chinchetas.He hung the poster on the wall with four thumbtacks.This sentence shows how to use póster regarding hanging it on a wall.Tatoeba #9935014 by Shishir, translation #9935078 by DJ_Saidez
- Tom pegó el cartel con chinchetas en el tablón de anuncios.Tom put up the poster on the bulletin board with thumbtacks.This sentence demonstrates the use of cartel for an informative poster on a bulletin board.Tatoeba #10224373 by Seael, translation #11149629 by DJ_Saidez
- Estoy haciendo un póster para mi clase de ciencia biomédica.I'm making a poster for my biomedical science class.This sentence illustrates making a póster for a school setting.Tatoeba #12955477 by mexicanhere, translation #12955765 by mexicanhere
- Necesitamos imprimir un cartel para promocionar el evento.We need to print a poster to promote the event.
Example conversation
Daniel and María are decorating a bedroom.
- DanielMira este póster de la película.Look at this movie poster.
- MaríaEs muy bonito, ¿dónde lo ponemos?It's very pretty, where do we put it?
- DanielPodemos poner el póster sobre la cama.We can put the poster above the bed.
- MaríaMe parece perfecto, Daniel.That sounds perfect, Daniel.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “poster” translations and entries póster, cartel, afiche, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries afiche, cartel, póster, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
