Ways to say it
| Portuguese | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| espanhol | /is.pɐ̃ˈɲɔw/ (Brazil) /es.pɐ̃ˈɲɔw/ (Brazil) |
masculine |
| castelhano | /kas.teˈʎɐ̃.nu/ (Brazil) /kaʃ.teˈʎɐ̃.nu/ (Rio de Janeiro) |
masculine |
The term refers to the Romance language of Spain and the Americas. It can also be used as an adjective meaning of or pertaining to Spain, or of or pertaining to the Spanish language.
Which one should you use?
While espanhol is the common term for the language, castelhano is often used in more formal, academic or political contexts to refer to the language.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In Brazil, espanhol is the most common way to express Spanish, though castelhano is also used to refer to the language.
Related words
How does it change in a sentence?
When using espanhol as an adjective to describe a feminine noun, it changes to the feminine form espanhola.
How do you pronounce it?
The word has 3 syllables, with the stress on the 3rd syllable: /is.pɐ̃ˈɲɔw/.
What mistakes should you avoid?
English speakers often mistakenly use espanhol to refer to the country of Spain. Instead, use Espanha to refer to the country.
Did you know?
- Portuguese speakers often perceive espanhol and Portuguese as being so similar that they experience 'portunhol'. This is a hybrid language created when speakers of both languages attempt to communicate without formal training.
- The term espanhol did not come directly from Latin into Portuguese. It was borrowed from Old Occitan, a language spoken in parts of southern France and northern Spain, before entering Old Galician-Portuguese.
- While espanhol is common, castelhano refers specifically to the dialect of Castile. In some regions, this term is preferred to acknowledge that other languages, such as Catalan and Galician, are also spoken in Spain.
Examples in context
- O espanhol é fácil.Spanish is easy.Tatoeba #875873 by alexmarcelo, translation #875821 by CK
- É um livro espanhol.It's a Spanish book.Tatoeba #875871 by alexmarcelo, translation #875825 by CN
- Isso não é espanhol.This isn't Spanish.Tatoeba #5891366 by Ricardo14, translation #463330 by lukaszpp
- Eu estou aprendendo espanhol.I am learning Spanish.
- Eu preciso praticar o idioma espanhol.I need to practice the Spanish language.
- Eu gosto de ouvir música em castelhano.I like to listen to music in Spanish.
- Aquele filme é falado em espanhol.That movie is spoken in Spanish.
- eu estudo espanholI study Spanish
- eu falo um pouco de espanholI speak a little bit of Spanish
- 300 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Lucas and Juliana are discussing language classes at a cafe.
- LucasVocê quer estudar espanhol comigo?Do you want to study Spanish with me?
- JulianaSim, eu acho o espanhol muito útil.Yes, I think Spanish is very useful.
- LucasÓtimo, vamos começar na próxima segunda.Great, let's start next Monday.
- JulianaCombinado, Lucas.Deal, Lucas.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “spanish” translations and entries espanhol, castelhano, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries castelhano, espanhol, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
