スペイン
Supein[sɨ̥pe̞ĩɴ]
The English phrase "Spain" is スペイン (Supein) in Japanese. Wiktionary also lists 西班牙 (Supein).
Meaning: country in Europe (name)
Ways to say it
| Japanese | Romanization (Wiktionary) | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| スペイン | Supein | [sɨ̥pe̞ĩɴ] (narrow) | |
| 西班牙 | Supein | obsolete |
スペイン is the name of the country in Europe. The most common and straightforward way to refer to Spain in Japanese is スペイン.
Which one should you use?
西班牙 is an obsolete form.
How do you pronounce it?
Supein
Did you know?
- Japanese people often associate スペイン with the word 情熱 ('passion'), reflecting a cultural stereotype of the country as passionate.
- While スペイン is used in modern daily life, the older form 西班牙 is actually a way of writing the name using Chinese characters to mimic the sound.
- The use of スペイン instead of 西班牙 mirrors a wider trend in Japanese history of replacing Chinese-style names with phonetic transliterations of Western names.
Examples in context
- どうしてスペインへ来たんですか？Why did you come to Spain?This sentence is useful for asking why someone came to スペイン.Tatoeba #8533518 by mochico, translation #10094159 by krodo
- スペインはとても日当たりの良い国だ。Spain is a very sunny country.This sentence is useful for describing スペイン as a sunny country.Tatoeba #10905891 by SomeHungryBois, translation #7795936 by sharris123
- スペインに来られるようなことがあれば、会いに来てください。If you visit Spain, come and see me.This sentence is useful for inviting someone to visit you if they are in スペイン.Tatoeba #214522 by small_snow, translation #51814 by shekitten
- 今度、スペインに旅行に行くんだよ。I'm going to Spain for a trip next time.
- スペイン料理が大好きで、よくレストランで食べてます。I love Spanish cuisine, so I often eat it at restaurants.
- スペイン語を勉強していて、スペインに留学する予定です。I'm studying Spanish, and I plan to study abroad in Spain.
- 17 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Ren and Himari are talking about their dream travel destinations.
- 蓮 Renいつかスペインに行きたいです。Itsuka Supein ni ikitai desu.I want to go to Spain someday.
- 陽葵 Himariいいですね。何に興味がありますか？Ii desu ne. Nani ni kyoumi ga arimasu ka?That's nice. What are you interested in?
- 蓮 Renスペインの建築や食べ物が好きです。Supein no kenchiku ya tabemono ga suki desu.I love Spanish architecture and food.
- 陽葵 Himari私も一緒にいきたいです！Watashi mo issho ni ikitai desu!I want to go with you too!
Sources
- Wiktionary, “spain” translations and entries スペイン, 西班牙, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries スペイン, 西班牙, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
