Ways to say it
| Spanish | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| marinero | /maɾiˈneɾo/ | masculine |
| marino | /maˈɾino/ | masculine |
| marinante | /maɾinante/ (from spelling rules) | masculine |
| grumete | /ɡɾuˈmete/ | masculine |
| nauta | /ˈnauta/ | feminine, masculine |
| lobo de mar | /lobo de maɾ/ (from spelling rules) | colloquial, masculine |
The terms for a sailor range from common nouns like marinero to more specific or literary versions such as nauta, which is a poetic or literary term for a mariner or voyager often used in the context of ancient seafaring or space (an astronaut). You may also use navegante to mean navigator or seafarer, as it is often used interchangeably with 'sailor' in casual conversation.
Which one should you use?
While marinero is the general term, grumete refers specifically to a low-ranking apprentice or cabin boy rather than a general sailor.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
The term lobo de mar is a colloquial way to describe an experienced, seasoned sailor, similar to the English 'old salt'.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In Spain, the term marino mercante is sometimes used to refer specifically to sailors in the merchant marine or to mean 'sailor' in a general sense.
How does it change in a sentence?
The feminine form of marinero is marinera.
How do you pronounce it?
/maɾiˈneɾo/
Did you know?
- In some coastal regions, marinera refers not only to a female sailor but also to a specific style of traditional dress and a rhythmic dance from Peru.
- The word grumete for a cabin boy is a linguistic cousin of the English word 'gourmet'. Both words share a root meaning 'servant' or 'groom'.
- The suffix -ero in marinero is the same one used to turn nouns into professions, much like how 'baker' relates to 'bread' in English.
Examples in context
- Soy un buen marinero.I'm a good sailor.This sentence is useful for practicing the word marinero.Tatoeba #562408 by Shishir, translation #259115 by CK
- Él salvó a un marinero.He saved a sailor.Tatoeba #1173753 by Shishir, translation #300700 by CK
- Tom quería ser marinero.Tom wanted to be a sailor.Tatoeba #9180566 by ignacio, translation #9180338 by CK
- El marinero reportó al capitán sus observaciones del océanoThe sailor reported to the captain his observations of the ocean
- Los marineros se entrenan diariamente para mantener la seguridad en el barcoThe sailors train daily to maintain safety on the ship
- Ese marino siempre tiene historias interesantes que contarThat sailor always has interesting stories to tell
- Me encuentro con navegantes experimentados durante mis viajes en el CaribeI meet experienced sailors during my trips in the Caribbean
- 7 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Javier and Elena are talking about a new employee at the marina.
- Javier¿Conoces al nuevo marinero?Do you know the new sailor?
- ElenaSí, Javier, es muy trabajador.Yes, Javier, he is very hardworking.
- JavierQué bueno que el marinero sea amable.It is good that the sailor is kind.
- ElenaSí, es una gran persona.Yes, he is a great person.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “sailor” translations and entries marinero, marino, grumete, nauta, lobo de mar, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- IPA marked “from spelling rules” is derived from standard Spanish spelling, where Wiktionary gives none.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries grumete, marinero, marino, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
