rotonda
/roˈtonda/feminine
The English word 'roundabout' is translated into Spanish as rotonda. If unsure, use rotonda. Wiktionary also lists glorieta and redoma.
Meaning: road junction at which traffic streams circularly around a central island (noun)
Ways to say it
| Spanish | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| rotonda | /roˈtonda/ | feminine |
| glorieta | /ɡloˈɾjeta/ | feminine |
| redoma | /reˈdoma/ | Venezuela, feminine |
A roundabout is a road junction where traffic moves in a circle around a central island.
Which one should you use?
rotonda is the most common and standard term across the Spanish-speaking world. glorieta is a common synonym that is frequently used in formal or technical traffic contexts.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In Venezuela, the specific term used for a roundabout is redoma.
How does it change in a sentence?
Both rotonda and glorieta are feminine nouns, meaning they use the feminine article la for 'the'. The plural forms are las rotondas and las glorietas.
How do you pronounce it?
/roˈtonda/
Did you know?
- The word glorieta was borrowed from the French word 'gloriette' in 1788 to describe a decorative pavilion.
- In some Spanish-speaking cities, a glorieta is not just a traffic tool but a designated urban space often featuring statues, fountains and monuments.
- The Spanish word rotonda shares its root with the English word 'rotund', both deriving from the Latin 'rotundus' meaning 'round'.
Examples in context
- El propósito de una rotonda es alentar el tráfico.The purpose of a roundabout is to slow down traffic.This sentence is useful for describing the purpose of a rotonda.Tatoeba #1674457 by marcelostockle, translation #681824 by Source_VOA
- Hay una nueva rotonda a la entrada de la aldea.There's a new roundabout as you enter the village.This sentence is useful for locating a rotonda.Tatoeba #14031439 by mexicanhere, translation #11042027 by sundown
- Vamos a dar una vuelta a la rotonda y luego salimos hacia la playa.Let's go around the roundabout and then exit towards the beach.
- Toma la segunda salida en la rotonda.Take the second exit at the roundabout.
- 2 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Lucía and Javier are driving in a new city.
- Lucía¿Debo girar a la izquierda en la siguiente calle?Should I turn left at the next street?
- JavierNo, gira en la próxima rotonda.No, turn at the next roundabout.
- LucíaEntendido, ¿es una rotonda muy grande?Got it, is it a very large roundabout?
- JavierNo, es pequeña y fácil de usar.No, it is small and easy to use.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “roundabout” translations and entries rotonda, glorieta, redoma, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries glorieta, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
