Countries, nationalities, & languages in Spanish: A top guide

Learning Spanish and traveling abroad can instantly turn you into an ambassador of your home country.

As you follow the wonderfully-exciting roads that learning Spanish can take you, you’re bound to find yourself in one of the many Spanish-speaking countries. When you do, you’ll without a doubt end up meeting tons of people, saying hi, introducing yourself, and ultimately answering the question: "where are you from?” in Spanish.

Knowing how to talk about countries, cities, and nationalities will help you make more friends, cultivate more genuine connections, and learn more about the places you visit. Even when you meet locals, don’t always assume that they’re also from there. Many may be from neighboring towns, or even far away places, so talking with them about where they’re from will help you better understand the people, culture, and geography of the country you’re in.

Plus, if you’re interested in an international career, you’ll need some of this vocabulary just to get by. Not only will you need to talk about other countries (including non-Spanish speaking ones!), but you’ll also likely need to know the names of political organizations such as the UN, the European Union, and more. But fret not; we’ve included all of those in this handy article!

Ready to become a child of the world by learning all about countries, cities, nationalities, and languages in Spanish? Pack your bags and let’s go!

Pack your bags and get ready to learn all about countries, cities, nationalities, and languages in Spanish.

List of countries in Spanish

According to the United Nations definitions, there are currently 195 countries in the world. We’ve included over half of them in our list below so you can learn how to say your country in Spanish. Watch out, though, as many countries have only slight differences between English and Spanish. For example, Brazil in Spanish is spelled with an s (Brasil) and Canada has an accent mark at the end (Canadá).

We’ve broken down the list of countries in Spanish by continent to make it even easier to find your native country. By the way, the total number of continents varies depending on whom you ask. Most people in Latin America learn that there are only five continents, which is why we’ve split our list into just five!

African countries in Spanish

English Spanish IPA Pronunciation Flag
Algeria Argelia aɾˈxelja are-heh-lee-ah 🇩🇿
Angola Angola ãnˈɡola ahn-go-la 🇦🇴
Cameroon Camerún kamɛˈɾũn cah-meh-roon 🇨🇲
Cape Verde Cabo Verde ˈkaβo ˈβɛɾðe ca-bo ver-deh 🇨🇻
Republic of the Congo La República del Congo la reˈpuβlika ðɛl ˈkõnɡo la reh-poo-blee-cah del con-goh 🇨🇬
The Democratic Republic of the Congo La República Democrática del Congo la reˈpuβlika ðemoˈkɾatika ðɛl ˈkõnɡo la reh-poo-blee-ca deh-mo-cra-tee-cah del con-go 🇨🇩
Egypt Egipto eˈxip̚to eh-hip-toe 🇪🇬
Equatorial Guinea Guinea Ecuatorial ɡiˈnea ekwatoˈɾjal gee-neh-ah eh-coo-ah-toh-ree-al 🇬🇶
Ethiopia Etiopía ɛtjoˈpia eh-tee-oh-pee-ah 🇪🇹
Ghana Ghana ˈɡana gah-na 🇬🇭
Ivory Coast Costa de Marfil ˈkosta ðe maɾˈfil cos-ta deh mar-feel 🇨🇮
Kenya Kenia ˈkenja keh-nee-ah 🇰🇪
Libya Libia ˈliβja lee-bee-ah 🇱🇾
Mauritius Mauricio mau̯ˈɾisjo ma-ooh-ree-see-oh 🇲🇺
Morocco Marruecos maˈrwekos mah-roo-eh-cos 🇲🇦
Mozambique Mozambique mosãmˈbike mo-zam-bee-keh 🇲🇿
Nigeria Nigeria niˈxɛɾja nee-heh-ree-ah 🇳🇬
Rwanda Ruanda ˈrwãnda roo-an-dah 🇷🇼
Senegal Senegal seneˈɣal seh-neh-gal 🇸🇳
Somalia Somalia soˈmalja so-mah-lee-ah 🇸🇴
South Africa Sudáfrica suˈðafɾika sood-ah-free-cah 🇿🇦
Sudan Sudán suˈðãn soo-dan 🇸🇩
Syria Siria ˈsiɾja see-ree-ah 🇸🇾
Tunisia Túnez ˈtunes too-nez 🇹🇳
Uganda Uganda uˈɣãnda oo-gan-da 🇺🇬
Zimbabwe Zimbabue sĩmˈbaβwe zeem-bah-boo-eh 🇿🇼

American countries in Spanish

English Spanish IPA Pronunciation Flag
Argentina Argentina aɾxɛ̃nˈtina are-hen-tee-na 🇦🇷
Belize Belice beˈlise beh-lee-seh 🇧🇿
Bolivia Bolivia boˈliβja bo-lee-vee-ah 🇧🇴
Brazil Brasil bɾaˈsil bra-seel 🇧🇷
Canada Canadá kanaˈða cah-na-da 🇨🇦
Chile Chile ˈʧile chee-leh 🇨🇱
Colombia Colombia koˈlõmbja co-lom-bee-ah 🇨🇴
Costa Rica Costa Rica ˈkosta ˈrika cos-ta ree-ca 🇨🇷
Dominican Republic La República Dominicana la reˈpuβlika ðominiˈkana la reh-poo-blee-cah doh-me-nee-ca-na 🇩🇴
Jamaica Jamaica xaˈmai̯ka hah-mah-e-ca 🇯🇲
Mexico México ˈmexiko meh-he-co 🇲🇽
Panama Panamá panaˈma pa-na-ma 🇵🇦
Peru Perú pɛˈɾu peh-roo 🇵🇪
Trinidad and Tobago Trinidad y Tobago tɾiniˈðað i toˈβaɣo tree-nee-dad e toe-ba-go 🇹🇹
United States Estados Unidos ɛsˈtaðos uˈniðos ehs-ta-dos oo-nee-dos 🇺🇸

Asian countries in Spanish

English Spanish IPA Pronunciation Flag
Armenia Armenia aɾˈmenja ar-meh-nee-ah 🇦🇲
Azerbaijan Azerbaiyán asɛɾβai̯ˈʝãn ah-ser-bah-yan 🇦🇿
Bangladesh Bangladés bãnɡlaˈðes ban-gla-des 🇧🇩
Cambodia Camboya kãmˈboʝa cam-boh-ya 🇰🇭
China China ˈʧina chee-na 🇨🇳
India India ˈĩndja een-dee-ah 🇮🇳
Indonesia Indonesia ĩndoˈnesja een-doe-neh-see-ah 🇮🇩
Iran Irán iˈɾãn ee-ran 🇮🇷
Iraq Irak iˈɾak ee-rak 🇮🇶
Japan Japón xaˈpõn hah-pon 🇯🇵
Jordan Jordania xoɾˈðanja hor-da-nee-ah 🇯🇴
Kazakhstan Kazajistán kasaxisˈtãn ka-za-hees-tan 🇰🇿
North Korea Corea del Norte koˈɾea ðɛl ˈnoɾte koh-reh-ah del nor-teh 🇰🇵
South Korea Corea del Sur koˈɾea ðɛl ˈsuɾ koh-reh-ah del soor 🇰🇷
Lebanon Líbano ˈliβano lee-bah-no 🇱🇧
Malaysia Malasia maˈlasja ma-lah-see-ah 🇲🇾
Mongolia Mongolia mõnˈɡolja mon-go-lee-ah 🇲🇳
Myanmar Birmania biɾˈmanja beer-mah-nee-ah 🇲🇲
Oman Omán oˈmãn oh-man 🇴🇲
Pakistan Pakistán pakisˈtãn pa-key-stan 🇵🇰
Palestine Palestina palɛsˈtina pa-less-tee-na 🇵🇸
Philippines Filipinas filiˈpinas fee-lee-pee-nas 🇵🇭
Qatar Catar kaˈtaɾ cah-tar 🇶🇦
Saudi Arabia Arabia Saudita aˈɾaβja sau̯ˈðita ah-rah-bee-ah sah-ooh-dee-tah 🇸🇦
Singapore Singapur sĩnɡaˈpuɾ seen-gah-poor 🇸🇬
Sri Lanka Sri Lanka ˈs̬ri ˈlãnka sree lan-ka 🇱🇰
Thailand Tailandia tai̯ˈlãndja tai-lan-dee-ah 🇹🇭
Turkey Turquía tuɾˈkia toor-key-ah 🇹🇷
United Arab Emirates Emiratos Árabes Unidos emiˈɾatos ˈaɾaβes uˈniðos eh-me-ra-tos ah-ra-bes oo-nee-dos 🇦🇪
Uzbekistan Uzbekistán us̬βekisˈtãn ooz-beh-keys-tan 🇺🇿
Vietnam Vietnam bjɛt̚ˈnãm vee-eht-nam 🇻🇳
Yemen Yemén ɟʝeˈmɛ̃n yeh-men 🇾🇪

European countries in Spanish

English Spanish IPA Pronunciation Flag
Albania Albania alˈβanja al-bah-nee-ah 🇦🇱
Andorra Andorra ãnˈdora ahn-doh-ra 🇦🇩
Austria Austria ˈau̯stɾja ah-oos-tree-ah 🇦🇹
Belgium Bélgica ˈbɛlxika bell-he-ca 🇧🇪
Bulgaria Bulgaria bulˈɣaɾja bool-gah-ree-ah 🇧🇬
Croatia Croacia kɾoˈasja cro-ah-see-ah 🇭🇷
Cyprus Chipre ˈʧipɾe chee-preh 🇨🇾
Czechia Chequia ˈʧekja cheh-key-ah 🇨🇿
Denmark Dinamarca dinaˈmaɾka dee-na-mar-ca 🇩🇰
Finland Finlandia fĩnˈlãndja feen-lan-dee-ah 🇫🇮
France Francia ˈfɾãnsja fran-see-ah 🇫🇷
Germany Alemania aleˈmanja ah-leh-ma-nee-ah 🇩🇪
Greece Grecia ˈɡɾesja greh-see-ah 🇬🇷
Hungary Hungría ũnˈɡɾia oon-gree-ah 🇭🇺
Iceland Islandia is̬ˈlãndja ees-lan-dee-ah 🇮🇸
Ireland Irlanda iɾˈlãnda eer-lan-da 🇮🇪
Italy Italia iˈtalja ee-tah-lee-ah 🇮🇹
Lithuania Lituania liˈtwanja leee-too-ah-nee-ah 🇱🇹
Luxembourg Luxemburgo luksɛ̃mˈbuɾɣo loox-ehm-boor-go 🇱🇺
The Netherlands Los Países Bajos los paˈises̬ ˈβaxos los pah-e-sehs ba-hos 🇳🇱
Norway Noruega noˈɾweɣa no-roo-eh-ga 🇳🇴
Poland Polonia poˈlonja po-lo-nee-ah 🇵🇱
Portugal Portugal poɾtuˈɣal pore-too-gal 🇵🇹
Romania Romania roˈmanja ro-ma-nee-ah 🇷🇴
Russia Rusia ˈrusja roo-see-ah 🇷🇺
Serbia Serbia ˈsɛɾβja ser-bee-ah 🇷🇸
Slovakia Eslovaquia ɛs̬loˈβakja ehs-lo-va-key-ah 🇸🇰
Slovenia Eslovenia ɛs̬loˈβenja ehs-lo-veh-nee-ah 🇸🇮
Spain España ɛsˈpaɲa ehs-pa-nyah 🇪🇸
Sweden Suecia ˈswesja soo-eh-see-ah 🇸🇪
Switzerland Suiza ˈswisa soo-e-za 🇨🇭
Ukraine Ucrania uˈkɾanja oo-cra-nee-ah 🇺🇦
United Kingdom El Reino Unido ɛl ˈrei̯no u̯ˈniðo el rey-no oo-nee-doe 🇬🇧

Oceanian countries in Spanish

English Spanish IPA Pronunciation Flag
Australia Australia au̯sˈtɾalja ah-oos-tra-lee-ah 🇦🇺
Federated States of Micronesia Los Estados Federados de Micronesia los ɛsˈtaðos feðɛˈɾaðos̬ ðe mikɾoˈnesja los ehs-ta-dos feh-deh-ra-dos deh mee-cro-neh-see-ah 🇫🇲
Fiji Fiyi ˈfiʝi fee-yee 🇫🇯
Kiribati Kiribati kiɾiˈβati kee-ree-ba-tee 🇰🇮
New Zealand Nueva Zelandia ˈnweβa seˈlãndja noo-eh-va zeh-lan-dee-ah 🇳🇿
Papua New Guinea Papúa Nueva Guinea paˈpua ˈnweβa ɣiˈnea pa-poo-ah noo-eh-va gee-neh-ah 🇵🇬
Samoa Samoa saˈmoa sa-mo-ah 🇼🇸
Solomon Islands Islas Salomón ˈis̬las saloˈmõn ees-las sah-lo-mon 🇸🇧
Tonga Tonga ˈtõnɡa ton-ga 🇹🇴
Vanuatu Vanuatu baˈnwatu vah-noo-ah-too 🇻🇺

List of cities in Spanish

If you’d like to get more specific, you can also say which city you’re from. We’ve compiled a list of the largest cities in the world in Spanish so you can be as specific as you want when mentioning where you’re from.

Since a large proportion of our readers is from the US, we’ve also included a separate table with some of the largest cities in the US. You can find it immediately after the table below.

Cities such as Tokyo and New York in Spanish.

English Spanish IPA Pronunciation
Tokyo Tokio ˈtokjo toe-key-oh
Delhi Delhi ˈdeli deh-lee
Shanghai Shanghái sãnˈɡai̯ shang-ay
São Paulo San Pablo ˈsãm ˈpaβlo san pah-bloh
Mexico City Ciudad de México sjuˈðað ðe ˈmexiko see-ooh-dad deh meh-he-co
Cairo El Cairo ɛl ˈkai̯ɾo el cah-e-ro
Mumbai Bombay bõmˈbai̯ bom-bay
Beijing Pekín peˈkĩn peh-keen
Dhaka Daca ˈdaka da-ca
Osaka Osaka oˈsaka oh-sa-ka
Karachi Karachi kaˈɾaʧi kah-rah-cheee
Buenos Aires Buenos Aires ˈbwenos ˈai̯ɾes boo-eh-nos aye-res
Chongqing Chongqing ʧõnɡˈkĩnɡ chong-ching
Istanbul Estambul ɛstãmˈbul ehs-tam-bool
Kolkata Calcuta kalˈkuta cal-coo-ta
Manila Manila maˈnila mah-nee-la
Lagos Lagos ˈlaɣos la-gos
Rio de Janeiro Río de Janeiro ˈrio ðe xaˈnei̯ɾo ree-oh deh hah-neh-e-ro
Kinshasa Kinsasa kĩnˈsasa keen-sah-a
Guangzhou Cantón kãnˈtõn can-ton
Moscow Moscú mosˈku mos-coo
Lahore Lahore laˈoɾe la-hoh-reh
Bangalore Bangalore bãnɡaˈloɾe ban-ga-lo-reh
Paris París paˈɾis pah-rees
Bogotá Bogotá boɣoˈta bo-go-ta
Jakarta Yakarta ɟʝaˈkaɾta yah-kar-tah
Bangkok Bangkok bãnɡˈkok bang-kok
Seoul Seúl seˈul seh-ool
London Londres ˈlõndɾes lon-drehs
Tehran Teherán teɛˈɾãn teh-eh-ran
Ho Chi Minh City Ciudad Ho Chi Minh sjuˈðað ˈo ˈʧi ˈmĩn see-ooh-dad ho chee meen
Kuala Lumpur Kuala Lumpur ˈkwala lũmˈpuɾ koo-ah-la loom-poor
Riyadh Riad ˈrjað ree-ad
Baghdad Bagdad baɣˈðað bag-dad
Toronto Toronto toˈɾõnto toh-ron-toe
Dar es Salaam Dar es-Salam ˈdaɾ ɛssaˈlãm dar ehs-sah-lam
Singapore Singapur sĩnɡaˈpuɾ seen-gah-poor
Johannesburg Johannesburgo xoãnnɛs̬ˈβuɾɣo yoh-han-nes-boor-goh
Saint Petersburg San Petersburgo ˈsãm pɛtɛɾs̬ˈβuɾɣo san peh-ters-boor-goh
Yangon Rangún rãnˈɡũn ran-goon
Sydney Sídney ˈsiðnei̯ seed-nee
Melbourne Melbourne mɛlˈβou̯ɾne mel-bourn
Auckland Auckland au̯kˈklãnd ock-land
Montreal Montreal mõntɾeˈal mon-treh-al
Vancouver Vancouver bãnkou̯ˈβɛɾ van-coo-ver
Abu Dhabi Abu Dabi ˈaβu ˈðaβi ah-boo dah-be
Abuja Abuya aˈβuʝa ah-boo-yah
Accra Acra ˈakɾa ah-cra
Addis Ababa Adís Abeba aˈðis aˈβeβa ah-dees ah-beh-ba
Algiers Argel aɾˈxɛl ar-hel
Amsterdam Ámsterdam ˈãmstɛɾðãm ams-tear-dam
Ankara Ankara ãnˈkaɾa an-ca-ra
Athens Atenas aˈtenas ah-teh-nas
Berlin Berlín bɛɾˈlĩn bear-leen
Bern Berna ˈbɛɾna bear-na
Brasília Brasilia bɾaˈsilja bra-see-lee-ah
Brazzaville Brazzaville bɾatsaˈβiʝe bra-za-ville
Brussels Bruselas bɾuˈselas broo-seh-las
Bucharest Bucarest bukaˈɾest boo-ca-rest
Budapest Budapest buðaˈpest boo-da-pest
Canberra Camberra kãmˈbɛra cam-beh-rah
Colombo Colombo koˈlõmbo co-lom-boe
Copenhagen Copenhague kopeˈnaɣe co-peh-nah-geh
Dakar Dakar daˈkaɾ da-kar
Damascus Damasco daˈmasko da-mas-coe
Doha Doha ˈdoxa do-hah
Dublin Dublín duˈβlĩn doo-bleen
Hanoi Hanói xaˈnoi̯ hah-noy
Helsinki Helsinki xɛlˈsĩnki hel-seen-key
Islamabad Islamabad is̬lamaˈβað is-la-ma-bad
Jerusalem Jerusalén xɛɾusaˈlɛ̃n heh-roo-sah-len
Kingston Kingston ˈkĩnɡstõn kings-ton
Lisbon Lisboa lis̬ˈβoa lees-bo-ah
Nairobi Nairobi nai̯ˈɾoβi na-e-ro-bee
Oslo Oslo ˈos̬lo os-lo
Ottawa Ottawa ot̚ˈtawa oh-ta-wa
Panama City Ciudad de Panamá sjuˈðað ðe panaˈma see-ooh-dad deh pa-na-ma
Phnom Penh Nom Pen ˈnõm ˈpɛ̃n nom pen
Prague Praga ˈpɾaɣa pra-ga
Rabat Rabat raˈβat ra-bat
Reykjavík Reikiavik rei̯kjaˈβik ray-key-ah-veek
Rome Roma ˈroma ro-ma
Santiago Santiago de Chile sãnˈtjaɣo ðe ˈʧile san-tee-ah-go deh chee-leh
Stockholm Estocolmo ɛstoˈkolmo ehs-toe-col-mo
Taipei Taipéi tai̯ˈpei̯ tai-pei
Vienna Viena ˈbjena vee-eh-na
Wellington Wellington weˈʝĩnɡtõn well-ing-ton
Warsaw Varsovia baɾˈsoβja var-so-vee-ah
Zagreb Zagreb saˈɣɾɛβ zag-reb

List of cities in the United States

Here are some of the largest cities in the United States. Remember that many of these were named when they were part of Mexico or the Spanish Empire, so their names are already in Spanish!

You should also note that most people around the world won’t be very familiar with cities in the US. Of course, almost everybody will know New York City, but you probably shouldn’t just say “Austin” and expect Spanish speakers to know where that is. Instead, specify that you’re from a city in the US called Austin.

English Spanish IPA Pronunciation
New York City Nueva York ˈnweβa ˈʝoɾk noo-eh-va york
Los Angeles Los Ángeles los ˈãnxeles los an-heh-les
Chicago Chicago ʧiˈkaɣo chee-ca-go
Houston Houston ˈxjustõn he-oos-ton
Phoenix Phoenix ˈfiniks fee-nix
Philadelphia Filadelfia filaˈðɛlfja fee-la-del-fee-ah
San Antonio San Antonio ˈsan ãnˈtonjo san an-toh-nee-oh
San Diego San Diego ˈsãn ˈdjeɣo san dee-eh-go
Dallas Dallas ˈdalas da-las
San Jose San José ˈsãn xoˈse san ho-seh
Austin Austin ˈau̯stĩn ah-oos-teen
Columbus Columbus koˈlũmbus co-loom-boos
Charlotte Charlotte ʧaɾˈlot̚te char-lot
San Francisco San Francisco ˈsãm fɾãnˈsisko san fran-sees-co
Seattle Seattle seˈat̚tle sea-ahtle
Denver Denver dɛ̃mˈbɛɾ den-ver
Washington, D.C. Washington D. C. waˈsĩnɡtõn wash-eeng-ton
Boston Boston ˈbostõn bos-ton

Nationalities in Spanish

Finally, you should know some nationalities in Spanish to easily describe where you’re from and also where your friends and colleagues are from. Note that nationalities in Spanish do not need to be capitalized!

One thing that may irk a lot of Latin Americans is when people from the US use the term “American” to refer to themselves. As you may have noticed from the section on countries above, Latin Americans consider both North America and South America to be the same continent: America. Thus, in Spanish, someone from Uruguay is just as American as someone from the United States, in the sense that they are both from the American continent.

So, if you’re from the US, make sure to only use estadounidense to refer to your nationality. You may also hear other terms like “gringo” or “yankee,” which can be neutral or derogatory depending on the context. You may also use “gringo” to refer to yourself if you want to be a little tongue-in-cheek.

Man shares his nationality and where he is from in Spanish.

Country Nationality in Spanish IPA Pronunciation
Spain español ɛspaˈɲol ehs-pa-nyol
Mexico mexicano mexiˈkano meh-he-ca-no
Argentina argentino aɾxɛ̃nˈtino are-hen-tee-no
Colombia colombiano kolõmˈbjano co-lom-bee-ah-no
Peru peruano pɛˈɾwano peh-roo-ah-no
Puerto Rico boricua boˈɾikwa bo-ree-coo-ah
Costa Rica tico ˈtiko tee-co
Guatemala guatemalteco ɡwatemalˈteko goo-ah-teh-mal-teh-coe
Nicaragua nicaragüense nikaɾaˈɣwɛ̃nse nee-cah-ra-goo-ehn-seh
El Salvador salvadoreño salβaðoˈɾeɲo sal-vah-doe-reh-nyoh
Honduras hondureño õnduˈɾeɲo on-doo-reh-nyoh
Panama panameño panaˈmeɲo pa-na-meh-nyoh
Ecuador ecuatoriano ekwatoˈɾjano eh-coo-ah-toe-ree-ah-no
Venezuela venezolano benesoˈlano veh-ne-zoh-la-no
United States estadounidense ɛstaðou̯niˈðɛ̃nse ehs-ta-do-oo-nee-dehn-seh
Canada canadiense kanaˈðjɛ̃nse ca-na-dee-ehn-seh
United Kingdom británico bɾiˈtaniko bree-ta-nee-co
France francés fɾãnˈses fran-sehs
Germany alemán aleˈmãn ah-leh-man
Italy italiano itaˈljano ee-ta-lee-ah-no
Switzerland suizo ˈswiso soo-e-zo
Sweden sueco ˈsweko soo-eh-co
Portugal portugués poɾtuˈɣes pore-too-gehs
Ireland irlandés iɾlãnˈdes eer-lan-dehs
Scotland escosés ɛskoˈses ehs-coh-sehs
Finland finlandés fĩnlãnˈdes feen-lan-dehs
Turkey turco ˈtuɾko toor-coh
Australia australiano au̯stɾaˈljano ah-oos-tra-lee-ah-no
Japan japonés xapoˈnes hah-po-nehs
China chino ˈʧino chee-no
India indio ˈĩndjo een-dee-oh
South Africa sudafricano suðafɾiˈkano sood-ah-free-ca-no
Egypt egipcio eˈxipsjo eh-hip-see-oh
Morocco marroquí maroˈki ma-ro-key
Libya libio ˈliβjo lee-bee-oh
Algeria argelino aɾxeˈlino ar-heh-lee-no
Nigeria nigeriano nixɛˈɾjano nee-heh-ree-ah-no

Languages in Spanish

Another bit of information that you’ll likely want to share after saying where you’re from is what language you speak at home. Luckily, many languages have the same name as the nationality of the countries they are from, just like in English.

You should still take a moment to look at the table of languages in Spanish below, as some are not the same. For example, someone from Finland is a finlandés, but the language spoken in Finland is finés. Be careful not to mix up nationalities and languages!

Just like nationalities, languages are never capitalized in Spanish.

Man with his siberian husky in Finland, Scandinavia.

English Spanish IPA Pronunciation
English inglés ĩnˈɡles een-glehs
Spanish español ɛspaˈɲol ehs-pah-nyol
Chinese chino ˈʧino chee-no
Mandarin mandarín mãndaˈɾĩn man-da-reen
Cantonese cantonés kãntoˈnes can-toe-ness
French francés fɾãnˈses frahn-sehs
German alemán aleˈmãn ah-leh-mahn
Portuguese portugués poɾtuˈɣes pore-too-gehs
Arab árabe ˈaɾaβe ah-rah-beh
Hindi hindi ˈĩndi een-dee
Bengali bengalí bɛ̃nɡaˈli ben-ga-lee
Russian ruso ˈruso roo-so
Bahasa Indonesia indonesio ĩndoˈnesjo een-do-neh-see-oh
Urdu urdu ˈuɾðu oor-doo
Japanese japonés xapoˈnes hah-poh-ness
Punjabi panyabí pãnɟʝaˈβi pan-ya-bee
Javanese javanés xaβaˈnes hah-va-ness
Tagalog tagalo taˈɣalo ta-ga-lo
Turkish turco ˈtuɾko toor-coh

Geographic vocabulary in Spanish

No, this section won’t talk about landforms in Spanish, although we do have a separate blog for that! This section will focus on the political side of geography, how humans organize ourselves: states, cities, countries, etc. We’ve even included the names of some international political organizations, such as the United Nations. Now you’re ready to sign up for a Model UN conference in Spanish!

English Spanish IPA Pronunciation
Map El mapa ˈmapa ma-pa
Country El país paˈis pa-ees
Nation La nación naˈsjõn nah-see-ohn
Republic La república reˈpuβlika reh-poo-blee-cah
Empire El imperio ĩmˈpɛɾjo eem-peh-ree-oh
City La ciudad sjuˈðað see-oo-dad
Continent El continente kõntiˈnɛ̃nte con-tee-nehn-teh
State El estado ɛsˈtaðo ehs-ta-doe
Territory El territorio tɛriˈtoɾjo teh-ree-toe-ree-oh
Region La región reˈxjõn reh-he-ohn
County El condado kõnˈdaðo con-da-doe
Colony La colonia koˈlonja co-lo-nee-ah
European Union La Unión Europea u̯ˈnjon eu̯ɾoˈpea oo-nee-ohn eh-ooh-ro-peh-ah
African Union La Unión Africana u̯ˈnjon afɾiˈkana oo-nee-ohn ah-free-ca-na
Commonwealth of Nations La Mancomunidad de Naciones mãnkomuniˈðað ðe naˈsjones man-coh-moo-nee-dad deh nah-see-oh-ness
United Nations La Organización de las Naciones Unidas (ONU) oɾɣanisaˈsjõn de las̬ naˈsjones uˈniðas or-gah-nee-sah-see-ohn deh las nah-see-oh-ness oo-nee-das
Andean Community La Comunidad Andina komuniˈðað ãnˈdina coh-moo-nee-dad an-dee-nah
Arab League La Liga de los Estados Árabes ˈliɣa ðe los ɛsˈtaðos ˈaɾaβes lee-gah deh los ehs-ta-doss ah-rah-behs
Balkans La península balcánica peˈnĩnsula βalˈkanika peh-neen-soo-la bal-ca-nee-cah
Baltic states Los países bálticos paˈises̬ ˈβaltikos pah-ee-sehs bal-tee-coss
Scandinavia Escandinavia ɛskãndiˈnaβja ehs-can-dee-nah-vee-ah

Share your heritage wherever you go

Now that you know how to talk about places of origin, you can be a more confident representative of your home country as you travel through the Spanish speaking countries. Cultural exchange is one of the best parts of learning a new language, and there’s plenty to learn when you meet someone from a different country or simply from a different town.

We hope you enjoyed this blog, and make sure to bookmark our Spanish resources page! We publish great content every month that will help you take your Spanish to a new level, even if you’re already an intermediate or advanced Spanish speaker. Best of all? Our content is always free!

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