How to Say “South” in Spanish

Ways to say it

The primary way to express the compass point or direction 'south' is using the masculine noun sur. To describe something as being 'southern' in a common, non-technical way, you can use the phrase del sur. If you are describing people or things that originate from the south, sureño is a common adjective. For scientific, geographical or technical contexts, the formal term austral can be used for 'southern'.

Which one should you use?

While sur is the standard term, you may encounter sud, which is an uncommon version of the word. For a more poetic or literary tone, you might see austro or ostro. The noun meridión also exists as a form of the word.

Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?

Sur is the standard term for everyday use. In contrast, austral is a formal term typically reserved for scientific or geographical contexts. If you want to be literary or poetic, you can use austro, though it is rarely used in everyday conversation. The adjective meridional is a formal or technical term used to describe things pertaining to the south, such as in meteorology.

Is it said differently in some regions?

In Latin American regions, including Mexico, Argentina and Chile, sur is the most common term. In Spain, the adjective meridional is occasionally used as a synonym for 'southern'.

Related words

In an adverse direction or trend (adv): hacer aguas.

Of or pertaining to the south (adj): del sur, sureño, meridional.

How does it change in a sentence?

All the listed noun forms of 'south' are masculine. To say 'to the south', use the phrase al sur.

How do you pronounce it?

/ˈsuɾ/