Ways to say it
| Spanish | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| prisión | /pɾiˈsjon/ | feminine |
| trullo | /ˈtɾuʝo/ | colloquial |
| cárcel | /ˈkaɾθel/ /ˈkaɾsel/ |
feminine |
| penitenciaría | /penitenθjaˈɾia/ /penitensjaˈɾia/ |
feminine |
| presidio | /pɾeˈsidjo/ | masculine |
All these terms refer to a place of long-term confinement for those convicted of serious crimes.
Which one should you use?
While cárcel and prisión both mean prison, cárcel is the most common everyday word for jail or prison, whereas prisión often carries a more formal or legalistic tone. Presidio is less common in casual conversation and often refers to a specific type of penal colony or a military-run prison.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
Cárcel and prisión are standard terms. Trullo is a colloquial slang term for prison. Presidio is used in more formal or historical contexts.
Is it said differently in some regions?
The slang word talego for prison is often heard in Spain.
How does it change in a sentence?
Cárcel and prisión are feminine nouns, so they must be preceded by feminine articles such as la or una. Conversely, presidio is a masculine noun and must be preceded by masculine articles like el or un.
How do you pronounce it?
/pɾiˈsjon/
Did you know?
- In Spain, you may hear the slang word talego to refer to a prison. This term originally referred to a kind of bag or pouch.
- The formal term penitenciaría comes from a word meaning 'penitence' or 'repentance', reflecting the original religious purpose of these institutions.
- The word prisión is a linguistic sibling to the English word 'prison', as both are derived from the Latin term prehēnsiōnem, meaning 'seizure'.
Examples in context
- Él está en prisión.He's in prison.This sentence shows the use of prisión to describe someone being in prison.Tatoeba #1701650 by marcelostockle, translation #1699597 by CK
- Estoy en la cárcel.I'm in prison.This sentence demonstrates the use of cárcel to describe being in prison.Tatoeba #4916877 by Ruthdq, translation #4728977 by Jesse
- Tom huyó de prisión.Tom escaped from prison.This sentence shows the use of prisión in the context of escaping from prison.Tatoeba #3016075 by marcelostockle, translation #2956699 by CK
- Me encontré con Pablo en la cárcel mientras realizaba un estudio sobre el sistema penitenciario.I met Pablo in prison while conducting a study on the penitentiary system.
- El delincuente fue sentenciado a cinco años de prisión.The criminal was sentenced to five years in prison.
- Es importante tomar medidas para la rehabilitación de los reclusos en el penal.It's crucial to take measures for the rehabilitation of inmates in the prison.
- Antonio pasó varios años en el talego antes de ser absuelto.Antonio spent several years in prison before being acquitted.
- 141 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Daniel and María are discussing a news report about a fugitive.
- DanielEl criminal escapó de la prisión anoche.The criminal escaped from prison last night.
- María¡Qué terrible! ¿Lo han atrapado ya?How terrible! Have they caught him yet?
- DanielNo, todavía no ha vuelto a prisión.No, he hasn't returned to prison yet.
- MaríaEspero que la policía lo encuentre pronto.I hope the police find him soon.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “prison” translations and entries prisión, trullo, cárcel, penitenciaría, presidio, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries cárcel, penitenciaría, prisión, trullo, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
