español
/espaˈɲol/masculine
Spanish in Spanish is español. Wiktionary also lists castellano.
Meaning: Romance language of Spain and the Americas (name)
Ways to say it
| Spanish | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| español | /espaˈɲol/ | masculine |
| castellano | /kasteˈʝano/ | masculine |
The term refers to the Romance language of Spain and the Americas.
Which one should you use?
While español is the most common term for the language, castellano is often used in Spain and parts of South America to refer specifically to the language of Castile, often to distinguish it from other regional languages of Spain like Catalan or Basque.
Related words
How does it change in a sentence?
When using español as an adjective to describe a feminine noun, it must change to the feminine form española. When referring to Spanish people as a group or a mixed-gender group, the plural form españoles is used.
How do you pronounce it?
/espaˈɲol/
What mistakes should you avoid?
Unlike English, names of languages and nationalities are not capitalized in Spanish unless they start a sentence.
Did you know?
- The word español likely originates from the Punic word for 'coast of hyraxes', referring to the small mammals found in the region.
Examples in context
- Me habló en español.She spoke to me in Spanish.This sentence shows how to use español to indicate the language being spoken.Tatoeba #945576 by hayastan, translation #371581 by saeb
- ¿Tu padre es español?Is your father Spanish?This sentence uses español as an adjective to ask about someone's nationality.Tatoeba #10223398 by Shishir, translation #7766819 by sharris123
- Yo sé hablar español.I can speak Spanish.This sentence uses español to refer to the ability to speak the language.Tatoeba #10288423 by Seael, translation #1435497 by nerveimpulse
- El idioma español se habla en muchos países alrededor del mundo.The Spanish language is spoken in many countries around the world.
- El castellano es uno de los idiomas oficiales de la Organización de las Naciones Unidas.Castilian Spanish is one of the official languages of the United Nations.
- ¿Hablas español?Do you speak Spanish?
- ¿Puedes ayudarme a entender este texto en castellano?Can you help me understand this text in Castilian Spanish?
- 443 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Sofía and Javier are discussing language classes.
- SofíaJavier, ¿estudias español en la universidad?Javier, do you study Spanish at the university?
- JavierSí, el español es un idioma muy bonito.Yes, Spanish is a very beautiful language.
- SofíaYo también quiero aprender español este año.I also want to learn Spanish this year.
- JavierEntonces podemos practicar español juntos.Then we can practice Spanish together.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “spanish” translations and entries español, castellano, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries castellano, español, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
