Ways to say it
| Spanish | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| suspense | /susˈpense/ /suˈpens/ |
masculine |
| thriller | /ˈθrileɾ/ /ˈsrileɾ/ |
masculine |
| tríler | /tɾileɾ/ (from spelling rules) | Chile, masculine |
In Spanish, this term refers to the fiction genre. While suspense is the traditional term, the English loanword thriller is commonly used in casual conversation and media, often appearing as un thriller. For more formal contexts, you may also see the word intriga used interchangeably with suspense to specifically denote this genre.
Which one should you use?
suspense is the traditional and more formal Spanish term, whereas thriller is often used as an anglicism. In certain regions, you may encounter different variations such as tríler or the descriptive phrase película de suspenso.
Is it said differently in some regions?
The use of the English loanword thriller is more prevalent in areas with high English influence, such as the Caribbean, the United States and parts of Central America. In Mexico and some South American countries, the phrase película de suspenso is often used as a literal translation. In Chile, the phonetic adaptation tríler is sometimes used.
How does it change in a sentence?
The term suspense is a masculine noun. For example, you would say el suspense to mean "the suspense".
How do you pronounce it?
/susˈpense/
What mistakes should you avoid?
Be careful not to confuse the genre with the word tráiler (trailer), which refers to a movie preview rather than the genre itself.
Did you know?
- While it feels like a native Spanish word, suspense was actually borrowed from French, which had previously borrowed it from English.
- If you want to sound more formal or literary in Spanish, you can use the word intriga to describe the same suspenseful genre.
Examples in context
- La película que vi ayer fue un gran suspense.The movie I watched yesterday was a great thriller.
- Me encanta leer novelas policíacas porque siempre tienen una trama llena de suspense.I love reading crime novels because they always have a suspenseful plot.
- Vamos a ver una película de miedo esta noche. ¿Te gustan las películas de suspense?Let's watch a scary movie tonight. Do you like suspense movies?
- Todavía recuerdo cuando salió ese nuevo thriller del famoso autor.I still remember when that new thriller by the famous author came out.
- Vamos a disfrutar una película de suspenso que me recomendaron.We're going to enjoy a thriller movie that was recommended to me.
- Ese libro es un gran suspense psicológico.That book is a great psychological thriller.
- Prefiero el suspense antes que el terror.I prefer suspense over horror.
Example conversation
Alejandro and María are discussing what to watch on TV.
- Alejandro¿Quieres ver un suspense esta noche?Do you want to watch a thriller tonight?
- MaríaSí, pero que no sea demasiado largo.Yes, but let it not be too long.
- AlejandroConozco un suspense muy corto y bueno.I know a very short and good thriller.
- MaríaPerfecto, vamos a verlo entonces.Perfect, let's watch it then.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “thriller” translations and entries suspense, thriller, 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 suspense, thriller, CC BY-SA 4.0.
