beca
/ˈbeka/feminine
The English word scholarship translates to Spanish as beca.
The word beca refers to a study allowance.
Meaning: study allowance (noun)
How does it change in a sentence?
beca is a feminine noun. Because beca is a feminine noun, it is preceded by the feminine article la as in la beca. The plural form of beca is becas.
How do you pronounce it?
/ˈbeka/
Did you know?
- The word beca actually derives from the Latin word for 'beak'. It refers to a medieval garment that had a hood shaped like a bird's beak.
- In certain formal academic or religious ceremonies, a beca is not a financial award but a physical, decorative sash or stole worn over the shoulders.
- In modern Spanish business environments, a becario is often an 'intern' rather than a student receiving a scholarship.
Examples in context
- Voy a aplicar para la beca.I'm going to apply for the scholarship.This sentence shows how to express the intention of applying for a beca.Tatoeba #4748666 by ecorralest101, translation #254487 by CK
- La beca le permitió estudiar en el extranjero.The scholarship enabled her to study abroad.This sentence illustrates how a beca can facilitate studying in another country.Tatoeba #3983732 by senryakun, translation #267456 by CK
- Becar a ese alumno vago e ignorante es una injusticia.Giving a scholarship to that ignorant, shiftless student is an injustice.This sentence uses the verb form of becar to discuss the act of providing a scholarship.Tatoeba #10332079 by saverius, translation #11438808 by Serveto
- 4 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Two students are talking about their university funding.
- SofíaSofía, ¿conseguiste la beca para este año?Sofía, did you get the scholarship for this year?
- MateoSí, Mateo, me dieron la beca ayer.Yes, Mateo, they gave me the scholarship yesterday.
- Sofía¡Qué bien! Ahora podrás pagar todos tus libros.That's great! Now you'll be able to pay for all your books.
- MateoExacto, la beca es una gran ayuda.Exactly, the scholarship is a huge help.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “scholarship” translations and entries beca, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries beca, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
