Ways to say it
| Spanish | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| disco de vinilo | /disko de binilo/ (from spelling rules) | masculine |
| disco fonográfico | /disko fonoɡɾafiko/ (from spelling rules) | masculine |
| disco | /ˈdisko/ | masculine |
The term refers to a form of gramophone record. In casual conversation, once the context of music is established, people often shorten the phrase to simply disco to mean a record or an album.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase disco de vinilo is composed of disco (record/disc), de (of) and vinilo (vinyl).
Which one should you use?
While disco can mean any kind of disc, it is the most common way to refer to a vinyl record when discussing music. Disco fonográfico is a more technical or formal term used to describe the physical medium of a gramophone record.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In Costa Rica and Panama, the term elepé is used for a vinyl record.
How does it change in a sentence?
To make the phrase plural, you pluralize the noun disco to discos while keeping de vinilo unchanged, resulting in discos de vinilo.
Did you know?
- The word vinilo shares a surprising linguistic root with the English word 'wine'. It is a loanword derived from the English 'vinyl', which itself comes from the Latin 'vinum', meaning 'wine'.
- While disco refers to the record itself, the word discoteca originally meant a 'record library' before it evolved into the word for a nightclub.
- In Spain and Latin America, referring to a record as a disco can be ambiguous because the word also refers to a digital album or a CD.
Examples in context
- Mi tío tiene una extensa colección de discos de vinilo.My uncle has an extensive collection of vinyl records.
- El museo exhibe una variedad de discos Long Play de artistas famosos.The museum exhibits a variety of Long Play records by famous artists.
- El último álbum de la banda también se lanzó en formato de vinilo.The band's latest album was also released in vinyl format.
- Tengo una colección de discos de pasta.I have a collection of vinyl records.
- Estoy buscando discos de vinil en la tienda de antigüedades.I am looking for vinyl records in the antique shop.
- Compré un disco de vinilo ayer.I bought a vinyl record yesterday.
- Ese disco de vinilo suena muy bien.That vinyl record sounds very good.
- ¿Dónde guardas tu disco de vinilo favorito?Where do you keep your favorite vinyl record?
Example conversation
Javier and María are at a music store.
- JavierMira este disco de vinilo, María.Look at this vinyl record, María.
- MaríaEs muy bonito, Javier.It is very beautiful, Javier.
- Javier¿Quieres comprar el disco de vinilo?Do you want to buy the vinyl record?
- MaríaSí, me encanta.Yes, I love it.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “vinyl record” translations and entries disco, 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 de, disco, vinilo, CC BY-SA 4.0.
