When starting with basic Spanish words, nationalities are a great way to build your vocabulary. Whether you’re learning Spanish for beginners or just want to introduce yourself properly, knowing how to say where you’re from is essential.
Imagine traveling to Spain or Latin America—being able to say Soy estadounidense (I am American) or Ella es italiana (She is Italian) makes conversations feel more natural. Plus, nationalities come up in everyday chats, from meeting new people to talking about different cultures. Let’s break it down in a way that’s simple and easy to remember.
As a Spanish learner myself, I’ve learned the hard way that aiming for fluency right away isn’t the best goal when learning a new language. So, if you’re just starting out with Spanish, I highly recommend familiarizing yourself with the CEFR (Common European Framework of Reference). It will guide you on what to focus on at each stage of your learning journey. Check out this article to get a clearer idea of what you should learn as a beginner and what’s expected of you along the way.
Learning Spanish for Beginners: How to Say Nationalities
In Spanish, nationalities often change based on gender. Many follow a simple pattern, making it easy to adjust depending on whether you’re talking about a man or a woman:
- If a nationality ends in -o, change it to -a for feminine.
- Italiano (Italian, masculine) → Italiana (Italian, feminine)
- Mexicano (Mexican, masculine) → Mexicana (Mexican, feminine)
- Argentino (Argentinian, masculine) → Argentina (Argentinian, feminine)
- If it ends in -e or a consonant, it usually stays the same for both genders.
- Canadiense (Canadian) → same for masculine and feminine
- Estadounidense (American) → same for masculine and feminine
- Some nationalities ending in a consonant add -a for the feminine form.
- Español (Spanish, masculine) → Española (Spanish, feminine)
- Francés (French, masculine) → Francesa (French, feminine)
- Inglés (English, masculine) → Inglesa (English, feminine)
- Japonés (Japanese, masculine) → Japonesa (Japanese, feminine)
- Alemán (German, masculine) → Alemana (German, feminine)
Basic Spanish Words: Nationalities
Knowing nationalities in Spanish is a great way to build your vocabulary and connect with others. Here’s a list of common nationalities in Spanish along with their English translations:
Nationalities That Change Based on Gender (-o → -a)
- Italiano / Italiana – Italian
- Mexicano / Mexicana – Mexican
- Argentino / Argentina – Argentinian
- Portugués / Portuguesa – Portuguese
- Chino / China – Chinese
Nationalities That Stay the Same for Both Genders (-e ending)
- Canadiense – Canadian
- Estadounidense – American (U.S.)
- Costarricense – Costa Rican
- Nicaragüense – Nicaraguan
Nationalities That End in a Consonant and Add -a for the Feminine Form
- Español / Española – Spanish
- Francés / Francesa – French
- Inglés / Inglesa – English
- Alemán / Alemana – German
- Japonés / Japonesa – Japanese
Nationalities That Stay the Same for Both Genders (Irregular Forms)
- Belga – Belgian
- Iraní – Iranian
- Iraquí – Iraqi
- Pakistaní – Pakistani
- Vietnamita – Vietnamese
Want to see more nationalities in Spanish, along with their gender forms and pronunciation? Check out this list of Spanish nationalities.
Practice What You´ve Learned
Now that you’ve familiarized yourself with nationalities, let’s put them into practice! Here are some simple sentence examples to help use nationalities in context:
Basic Sentences
- Soy italiano. – I am Italian.
- Ella es francesa. – She is French.
- Ellos son alemanes. – They are German.
Talking About Origin
- Mi amigo es mexicano. – My friend is Mexican.
- Somos canadienses. – We are Canadian.
- ¿Eres japonés? – Are you Japanese?
Using Nationalities as Adjectives
- Me gusta la comida española. – I like Spanish food.
- Ellos viven en una ciudad alemana. – They live in a German city.
- Tengo un coche italiano. – I have an Italian car.
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Conclusion: Learning Spanish for Beginners
You’re well on your way to mastering basic Spanish words, including nationalities, which will help you sound more confident in conversations. As you’re learning Spanish for beginners, knowing how to talk about where you’re from and where others are from is a great step forward!
Keep practicing, and soon these words will feel like second nature.