Papa
/ˈpapa/masculine
The English word 'pope' is translated into Spanish as Papa. Wiktionary also lists vicediós and vicecristo.
Meaning: head of the Roman Catholic Church (noun)
Ways to say it
| Spanish | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Papa | /ˈpapa/ | masculine |
| papa | /ˈpapa/ | masculine |
| vicediós | /biθedjos/ (Spain, from spelling rules) /bisedjos/ (Latin America, from spelling rules) |
masculine |
| vicecristo | /biθekɾisto/ (Spain, from spelling rules) /bisekɾisto/ (Latin America, from spelling rules) |
masculine |
The term refers to the head of the Roman Catholic Church.
Which one should you use?
The word for the Pope, Papa, is distinguished from the word for 'dad', papá, by the stress on the final syllable.
How do you pronounce it?
/ˈpapa/
What mistakes should you avoid?
Do not confuse Papa with papá. The latter means 'dad'.
Did you know?
- In Spanish, papa is also the word for 'potato'. This comes from the Quechua language of the Andes and is completely unrelated to the religious leader.
- In certain historical or highly formal Spanish texts, you may see the terms vicediós or vicecristo used to describe the Pope's role as a representative of the divine on earth.
Examples in context
- ¿El Papa es católico?Is the Pope Catholic?This sentence is useful for asking if the Pope is Catholic using Papa.Tatoeba #3719608 by hayastan, translation #1217501 by shekitten
- El Papa visitó Brasil.The Pope visited Brazil.This sentence describes a visit by the Pope using Papa.Tatoeba #1108132 by hayastan, translation #1331525 by Eldad
- El Papa no puede casarse.The Pope has no right to marry.This sentence expresses a restriction regarding the Pope using Papa.Tatoeba #1070372 by hayastan, translation #528243 by fanty
- El Papa Francisco visitará EspañaPope Francis will visit Spain
- Santo Padre, le damos la bienvenidaHoly Father, we welcome you
- El Sumo Pontífice presidirá la ceremoniaThe Supreme Pontiff will preside over the ceremony
- ¿Sabes que el Papa viene a la ciudad?Do you know that the Pope is coming to town?
- El Papa Francisco visitó México y pronunció un discurso inspirador.Pope Francis visited Mexico and delivered an inspiring speech
- ¿Viste la entrevista con el Papa en la televisión?Did you watch the interview with the Pope on television?
- 29 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Two friends are discussing news in a café.
- Alejandro¿Viste las noticias sobre el Papa?Did you see the news about the Pope?
- SofíaNo, ¿qué pasó con él?No, what happened with him?
- AlejandroEl Papa viajará a España pronto.The Pope will travel to Spain soon.
- Sofía¡Qué buena noticia!That is great news!
Sources
- Wiktionary, “pope” translations and entries Papa, papa, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- IPA marked “from spelling rules” is derived from standard Spanish spelling, where Wiktionary gives none.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries Papa, papa, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
