Estado
/esˈtado/masculine
The English phrase 'state' translates to the Spanish word Estado.
Estado is used to refer to a political entity. Note that while Situación primarily translates to 'situation', it can also be used to express the state of something and the verb Estar can be used to describe a state or condition.
Meaning: political entity (noun)
Which one should you use?
The word estado (capitalized or lowercase) refers to a political entity, whereas the lowercase estado can also mean 'status' or 'condition'.
Related words
How does it change in a sentence?
When referring to the State as a political institution or the government apparatus, it is common to capitalize it as el Estado.
How do you pronounce it?
/esˈtado/
Did you know?
- Because estado is the past participle of the verb estar, the same word used for a political 'state' is also used to say 'I have been'.
- In its earliest origins, the root of estado described a unit of length roughly equal to the height of a grown man.
- The phrase estado de sitio refers to a 'state of siege' or martial law, a term frequently encountered in the history of Latin American political upheavals.
Examples in context
- ¡El estado soy yo!I am the State!Tatoeba #6995567 by baudelaire, translation #435669 by Clavain
- Cada estado tenía solo un voto.Each state had just one vote.Tatoeba #2216354 by marcelostockle, translation #804315 by Source_VOA
- En 1948 se fundó un Estado judío.In 1948, a Jewish state was founded.Tatoeba #1404643 by marcelostockle, translation #372060 by saeb
- No estoy seguro del estado actual de la economía.I am not sure about the current state of the economy.
- No me gusta la condición en la que se encuentra mi automóvil.I don't like the state/condition my car is in.
- ¿Cómo está la situación financiera en tu casa?How is the financial state in your house?
- Estoy en un buen estado de ánimo hoy.I am in a good mood today.
- Soy un hombre en buen estado de salud.I am a man in good health.
- 100 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Lucía and Mateo are discussing political science in class.
- LucíaEl Estado debe proteger a todos los ciudadanos.The state must protect all citizens.
- MateoEstoy de acuerdo, Lucía, es su deber principal.I agree, Lucía, it is its main duty.
- Lucía¿Crees que el Estado tiene demasiado poder?Do you think the state has too much power?
- MateoDepende de cómo se organice el Estado, Lucía.It depends on how the state is organized, Lucía.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “state” translations and entries Estado, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries Estado, estado, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
