Ways to say it
| Spanish | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| guerra | /ˈɡera/ | feminine |
| guerrero | /ɡeˈreɾo/ | attributive |
| bélico | /ˈbeliko/ | attributive |
Guerra refers to a conflict involving the organized use of arms. You can use the phrase en guerra to describe a country or person that is "at war". If you want to describe the act of engaging in or waging war, you can use the verb guerrear or the verbal phrase hacer la guerra. Common phrases include declarar la guerra (to declare war) and tomar las armas (to take up arms).
Which one should you use?
While guerra is the noun for the conflict itself, guerrero is an adjective or noun used to describe a warrior or something related to a warrior. For a more formal way to describe things related to war, such as "warlike conflicts," use the adjective bélico.
Related words
How does it change in a sentence?
The noun guerra is feminine, meaning it is used with feminine articles such as la or una. To refer specifically to a civil war, use the phrase la guerra civil.
How do you pronounce it?
/ˈɡera/
Did you know?
- Although it is a Latin-based language, Spanish does not use a native Latin root for the common word guerra, but instead uses a Germanic loanword.
- In certain Spanish-speaking contexts, the phrase hacer la guerra is used not just for military action, but can also describe a person who is being very difficult or argumentative in a social setting.
- The phrase guerra de guerrillas is a common Spanish expression that gave the English language the word 'guerrilla'.
Examples in context
- No a la guerra.No to war.This sentence shows how to express a protest against war using guerra.Tatoeba #13365208 by Lernema, translation #13364940 by Igider
- La guerra no paga.War doesn't pay.This sentence illustrates a comment on the cost or benefit of war using guerra.Tatoeba #5952289 by albrusgher, translation #3456872 by Hybrid
- Yemen está en guerra.Yemen is at war.This sentence demonstrates how to state that a country is currently at war using guerra.Tatoeba #10942897 by Seael, translation #8605361 by Amastan
- El tratado de paz puso fin a la guerra.The peace treaty ended the war.
- El conflicto armado entre ambos países duró varios años.The armed conflict between the two countries lasted for several years.
- ¡Qué horror de guerra!What a horrible war!
- El conflicto bélico dejó una profunda marca en la historia.The war left a profound mark on history.
- La guerra civil de España tuvo consecuencias devastadoras.The Spanish Civil War had devastating consequences.
- La guerra comenzó en 1945.The war started in 1945.
- 445 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Two friends are discussing a historical documentary.
- ElenaEse documental trata sobre la guerra civil.That documentary is about the civil war.
- DanielSí, es una historia muy triste.Yes, it is a very sad story.
- ElenaDaniel, ¿viste las imágenes de la guerra?Daniel, did you see the images of the war?
- DanielNo, Elena, no pude verlas.No, Elena, I couldn't see them.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “war” translations and entries guerra, guerrero, bélico, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
