Ways to say it
| Spanish | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| patio | /ˈpatjo/ | masculine |
| yarda | /ˈʝaɾda/ | feminine |
| yadra | /ˈʝadɾa/ | US, feminine |
The word patio refers to the land or area surrounding a house. If you are referring to a landscaped or ornamental garden, or a courtyard in a more formal context, you may use jardín.
Which one should you use?
Use patio to refer to the land around a house. In contrast, yarda is the term used for the linear unit of measurement (3 feet).
Is it said differently in some regions?
In certain parts of Mexico, patio delantero is used to refer to the front yard of a house. In rural areas of Latin America, such as Argentina and Uruguay, the word corral is used to describe a yard or an enclosed space used for livestock or agricultural purposes. In some US-based Spanish dialects, you may see the phonetic spelling yadra used to refer to the unit of measurement.
How does it change in a sentence?
Patio is a masculine noun, while yarda and yadra are feminine nouns.
How do you pronounce it?
/ˈpatjo/
What mistakes should you avoid?
English speakers often mistakenly use yarda to mean the land around a house. However, in Spanish, you should use patio for the area around a home.
Did you know?
- The word patio is believed to stem from the Latin word pateō, which means 'to lie open'. This creates a linguistic connection between the physical space and the concept of openness.
Examples in context
- Estoy barriendo el patio.I am sweeping the yard.This sentence is useful for describing the action of sweeping the patio.Tatoeba #1669076 by marcelostockle, translation #1661075 by Amastan
- ¿El perro está en el patio?Is the dog in the yard?This sentence is useful for asking about the location of a dog in the patio.Tatoeba #5227671 by cueyayotl, translation #5228486 by solejar
- Tom taló un árbol en su patio.Tom cut down a tree in his yard.This sentence is useful for describing an action involving a tree in the patio.Tatoeba #1412918 by marcelostockle, translation #1026537 by CK
- El hotel cuenta con un hermoso jardín donde los huéspedes pueden relajarse.The hotel has a beautiful yard where guests can relax.
- Vamos a organizar una barbacoa en el patio de la casa.We're going to organize a barbecue in the yard of the house.
- Jugábamos al fútbol en el patio trasero de mi abuela.We used to play soccer in my grandmother's backyard.
- Mis hijos disfrutan corriendo y jugando en el terreno junto a casa.My children enjoy running and playing in the yard next to the house.
- Mi perro siempre espera en el patio delantero a que regrese del trabajo.My dog always waits in the front yard for me to come back from work.
- 28 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Sofía and Mateo are deciding where to sit outside.
- Sofía¿Quieres sentarte en el patio, Mateo?Do you want to sit in the yard, Mateo?
- MateoSí, el patio está muy tranquilo.Yes, the yard is very quiet.
- SofíaPerfecto, yo llevo las bebidas.Perfect, I'll bring the drinks.
- MateoGracias, Sofía, nos vemos allá.Thanks, Sofía, see you there.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “yard” translations and entries patio, yarda, yadra, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries patio, yarda, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
