rival
/riˈbal/masculine
The Spanish word for rival is rival.
rival refers to a competitor who shares the same objective. It is a common word used in day-to-day conversations.
Meaning: competitor with the same objective (noun)
Is it said differently in some regions?
In Spain and Latin America, the terms adversario or adversaria are used to denote a rival, particularly during debates or in political contexts.
How does it change in a sentence?
The word rival is invariant in gender, so the same form is used for both masculine and feminine nouns. The plural form of rival is rivales.
How do you pronounce it?
/riˈbal/
Did you know?
- The word rival shares a surprising ancestor with the English word 'river'. It comes from the Latin rīvālis, which originally described something related to a 'riverbank'.
- While rival is gender-neutral, Spanish speakers often use the phrase rivales a muerte to describe a rivalry so intense it is described as being 'until death'.
- Spanish speakers may use the verb rivalizar not just to compete, but to say that two things are equal in quality or value.
Examples in context
- No quiere ser un socio, quiere ser un rival.He doesn't want to be a partner. He wants to be a rival.This example shows how someone might prefer being a rival rather than a partner.Tatoeba #3132950 by Shishir, translation #10461469 by DJ_Saidez
- Tom considera que todo portador de un pene es su rival.Tom considers everyone with a penis to be his rival.This example uses the word rival to describe a specific group of people.Tatoeba #2942384 by hayastan, translation #10140957 by DJ_Saidez
- No puedo entender el odio implacable que él todavía siente por su viejo rival.I cannot understand the implacable hatred that he still feels for his old rival.This example illustrates the concept of a long-standing or old rival.Tatoeba #5136483 by albrusgher, translation #4032603 by Dani6187
- ¿Viste el partido de fútbol? Barcelona y Real Madrid son rivales de toda la vida.Did you watch the soccer match? Barcelona and Real Madrid are lifelong rivals.
- El tenista español tuvo un partido difícil contra su contrincante italiano.The Spanish tennis player had a challenging match against his Italian rival.
- Nuestro equipo luchó contra el adversario hasta el final del campeonato.Our team fought against the rival until the end of the championship.
- Mis hermanos siempre han sido mis mayores rivales en los deportes, pero los admiro por su habilidad.My brothers have always been my biggest rivals in sports, but I admire them for their skills.
- Aunque somos competidores en el trabajo, podemos mantener una buena relación personal.Even though we are rivals at work, we can maintain a good personal relationship.
- 1 more sentence on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Lucía and Daniel are discussing a professional chess tournament.
- Lucía¿Cómo va la preparación para el torneo, Daniel?How is the preparation for the tournament going, Daniel?
- DanielEstoy analizando a cada rival con mucho cuidado.I am analyzing every rival very carefully.
- LucíaTu rival principal parece ser muy hábil.Your main rival seems to be very skillful.
- DanielSí, pero estoy listo para ganar.Yes, but I am ready to win.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “rival” translations and entries rival, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries rival, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
