Shakespeare
/sakespeaɾe/from spelling rules
The English name Shakespeare is translated into Spanish as Shakespeare.
This refers to the famous English playwright.
Meaning: English playwright (name)
Is it said differently in some regions?
In Latin America, any of the following are widely recognized: Shakespeare, El Bardo or El Bardo de Avon.
How do you pronounce it?
/sakespeaɾe/
Did you know?
- Because Spanish phonology rarely allows words to begin with an 's' followed by a consonant, you may hear speakers add a prosthetic 'e' to the start. This results in a pronunciation that sounds like eShakespeare.
- While El Bardo is a common translation for 'The Bard', in Spanish it specifically evokes the classical tradition of the bardo as a poet-prophet rather than just a playwright.
- If you are discussing his works in a formal academic setting in Spanish, you might refer to him as el dramaturgo inglés instead of just using his name.
Examples in context
- Él cita a menudo a Shakespeare.He often quotes from Shakespeare.This sentence shows how to use Shakespeare when talking about someone quoting his work.Tatoeba #1304902 by ildefonk, translation #290087 by CK
- Sé un poco acerca de Shakespeare.I know a little about Shakespeare.This sentence shows how to use Shakespeare when discussing knowledge of the playwright.Tatoeba #2081643 by marcelostockle, translation #253867 by CK
- Él leyó el pasaje de Shakespeare.He read a passage from Shakespeare.This sentence shows how to use Shakespeare when referring to a specific passage of his writing.Tatoeba #5871282 by albrusgher, translation #290060 by CK
- En su última obra, William Shakespeare demostró una maestría impresionante en la escritura de diálogos poéticos.In his latest play, William Shakespeare demonstrated an impressive mastery in writing poetic dialogues.
- Creo que El Bardo revolucionó el teatro isabelino.I believe The Bard revolutionized Elizabethan theater.
- 24 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Alejandro and Elena are talking about theater in a café.
- Alejandro¿Te gusta el teatro de Shakespeare?Do you like Shakespeare's theater?
- ElenaSí, las obras de Shakespeare son geniales.Yes, Shakespeare's plays are great.
- AlejandroYo prefiero los clásicos modernos.I prefer modern classics.
- ElenaEs verdad, pero Shakespeare es un icono.That is true, but Shakespeare is an icon.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “shakespeare” translations, 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.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
