lado
/ˈlado/masculine
The English word 'side' is translated to Spanish as lado.
Lado is used to refer to the bounding straight edge of an object. You may also use the phrase a su lado to mean 'by his side', 'by her side' or 'by their side', depending on the specific context of the possessive adjective.
Meaning: bounding straight edge of an object (noun)
Which one should you use?
While lado refers generally to a side or an edge, costado is often used specifically when talking about the side of a person's body or the side of a vehicle or ship.
How does it change in a sentence?
The plural form of lado is lados.
How do you pronounce it?
/ˈlado/
Did you know?
- If a Spanish speaker describes a person as having un lado in a certain way, they might be referring to a specific personality trait or 'facet' of that person's character.
- In some contexts, poner de lado means to set something aside or postpone it, similar to the English idiom 'to put on the back burner'.
- The Spanish word lado is a direct relative of the English word 'lateral', which describes something occurring or situated on the side.
Examples in context
- Estoy a tu lado.I'm on your side.This sentence is useful for expressing being 'on your side' using lado.Tatoeba #1835068 by Shishir, translation #68795 by oschwimmer
- Va al otro lado.Go to the other side.This sentence is useful for expressing going to 'the other side' using lado.Tatoeba #7860115 by arh, translation #7895047 by helloroto
- Me senté a su lado.I sat by his side.This sentence is useful for expressing sitting 'by his side' using lado.Tatoeba #502059 by Shishir, translation #250343 by CS
- El edificio está en el lado este de la ciudad.The building is on the east side of the city.
- Hay un parque en el costado norte del vecindario.There is a park on the north side of the neighborhood.
- Puedes encontrar los dulces en el estante lateral del supermercado.You can find the candies on the side shelf of the supermarket.
- Puedes poner el libro costadito del vaso.You can put the book on the side of the glass.
- 167 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Lucía and Javier are looking at a rectangular table.
- LucíaEste lado de la mesa está roto.This side of the table is broken.
- JavierTienes razón, Javier lo ve ahora.You are right, Javier sees it now.
- LucíaPon la caja en el otro lado.Put the box on the other side.
- JavierEstá bien, Lucía, lo haré.Alright, Lucía, I will do it.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “side” translations and entries lado, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries lado, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
