Countries and demonyms in Spanish
- How to form demonyms in Spanish
- Useful Prepositions
- Alphabetical List of Countries and Demonyms in Spanish
- Online exercises to improve your Spanish
Countries and Demonyms in Spanish
A demonym (gentilicio) is a word that shows a person is an inhabitant of a country, city, place, town, region, etc.
- Examples:
- España → español/-laSpain → Spanish
- Colombia → colombiano/-naColombia → Colombian
We can also use these words to describe things and concepts as well as people. Grammatically speaking, it’s then an adjective not a demonym, but their form is identical, so the distinction isn’t too important.
- Examples:
- Soy de España.I’m from Spain. (country name)
- Susana es española.Susana is Spanish. (demonym)
- La comida española es famosa en todo el mundo.Spanish food is famous all over the world. (adjective)
Note
Unlike in English, Spanish demonyms are written with a lowercase letter. Country names are written with a capital letter.
- Example:
- Marta es chilena.Marta is Chilean.
- Marta es de Chile.Marta comes from Chile.
How to form demonyms in Spanish
In Spanish, demonyms are generally formed by adding suffixes (endings) to a country’s name or the root of its name.
Unfortunately, there are no rules that tell us when to use which suffix, so we have to learn them by heart.
The table below shows the most common suffixes with examples.
Suffix | Example |
---|---|
-aco/-aca | polaco, polaca → de Polonia |
-ano/-ana | australiano, australiana → de Australia |
-ata | croata → de Croacia |
-eco/-eca | guatemalteco, guatemalteca → de Guatemala |
-ego/-ega | gallego, gallega → de Galicia |
-eno/-ena | chileno, chilena → de Chile |
-ense | canadiense → de Canadá |
-eño/-eña | panameño, panameña → de Panamá |
-eo/-ea | europeo, europea → de Europa |
-ero/-era | habanero, habanera → de La Habana |
-és/-esa | portugués, portuguesa → de Portugal |
-eta | lisboeta → de Lisboa |
-í | israelí → de Israel |
-ín/-ina | mallorquín, mallorquina → de Mallorca |
-ino/-ina | granadino, granadina → de Granada |
-ita | vietnamita → de Vietnam |
-o/-a | ruso, rusa → de Rusia |
-ol/-ola | español, española → de España |
-uno/-una | villavicenciuno, villavicenciuna → de Villavicencio, Colombia |
Some places that share the same name have different demonyms to avoid confusion.
- Example:
- guadalajareño → from Guadalajara, Spain
- guadalajarense → from Guadalajara, Mexico
Certain demonyms are derived from names that are no longer in use, meaning they can be difficult to identify on sight alone.
- Examples:
- abulense → from Ávila, Spain
- lusitano → from Portugal
- porteño → from Buenos Aires, Argentina
- regiomontano → from Monterey, Mexico
Useful Prepositions
There are three key prepositions for talking about place in Spanish: de, en and a.
- The preposition de indicates origin.
- Examples:
- Soy de Venezuela.I’m from Venezuela.
- Vengo de Argentina.I come from Argentina.
- The preposition en indicates a location.
- Examples:
- Estoy en París.I’m in Paris.
- Vivo en Florencia.I live in Florence.
- The preposition a indicates a direction or destination.
- Examples:
- Voy a Japón.I’m going to Japan.
- Viajo a los países nórdicos.I’m travelling to the nordic countries.
Alphabetical List of Countries and Demonyms in Spanish
The table below shows all countries and their respective demonyms/adjectives.
Country in English | Country in Spanish | Demonym/Adjective |
---|---|---|
Afghanistan | Afganistán | afgano/-na |
Albania | Albania | albanés/-sa |
Germany | Alemania | alemán/-na |
Algeria | Argelia | argelino/-na |
Andorra | Andorra | andorrano/-na |
Angola | Angola | angoleño/-ña |
Antigua and Barbuda | Antigua y Barbuda | antiguano/-na |
Saudi Arabia | Arabia Saudí | saudí |
Argentina | Argentina | argentino/-na |
Armenia | Armenia | armenio/-nia |
Australia | Australia | australiano/-na |
Austria | Austria | austriaco/-ca |
Azerbaijan | Azerbaiyán | azerbaiyano/-na |
Bahamas | Bahamas | bahameño/-ña |
Bahrain | Baréin | bareiní |
Bangladesh | Bangladés | bangladesí |
Barbados | Barbados | barbadense |
Belarus | Bielorrusia | bielorruso/-sa |
Belgium | Bélgica | belga |
Belize | Belice | beliceño/-ña |
Benin | Benín | beninés/-sa |
Bhutan | Bután | butanés/-sa |
Bolivia, Plurinational State of | Bolivia, (Estado Plurinacional de) | boliviano/-na |
Bosnia and Herzegovina | Bosnia y Herzegovina | bosnioherzegovino/-na |
Botswana | Botsuana | botsuano/-na |
Brazil | Brasil | brasileño/-ña |
Brunei | Brunéi | bruneano/-na |
Bulgaria | Bulgaria | búlgaro/-ra |
Burkina Faso | Burkina Faso | burkinés/-sa |
Burundi | Burundi | burundés/-sa |
Cambodia | Camboya | camboyano/-na |
Cameroon | Camerún | camerunés/-sa |
Canada | Canadá | canadiense |
Cabo Verde | Cabo Verde | caboverdiano/-na |
Chad | Chad | chadiano/-na |
Chile | Chile | chileno/-na |
China | China | chino/-na |
Cyprus | Chipre | chipriota |
Colombia | Colombia | colombiano/-na |
Comoros | Comoras | comorense |
Congo | Congo | congoleño/-ña |
North Korea | Corea del Norte | de la República Popular Democrática de Corea |
South Korea | Corea del Sur | de la República de Corea |
Costa Rica | Costa Rica | costarricense |
Côte d'Ivoire | Costa de Marfil | costamarfileño/-ña |
Croatia | Croacia | croata |
Cuba | Cuba | cubano/-na |
Denmark | Dinamarca | danés/-sa |
Djibouti | Djibouti | Yibutiano/-na |
Dominican Republic | Dominica | dominiqués/-sa |
Ecuador | Ecuador | ecuatoriano/-na |
Egypt | Egipto, (República Árabe de) | egipcio/-cia |
El Salvador | El Salvador | salvadoreño/-na |
United Arab Emirates (UAE) | Emiratos Árabes Unidos (EAU) | emiratí |
Eritrea | Eritrea | eritreo/-a |
Scotland | Escocia | escocés/-sa |
Slovakia | Eslovaquia | eslovaco/-ca |
Slovenia | Eslovenia | esloveno/-na |
Spain | España | español/-la |
United States of America (USA) | Estados Unidos de América (EEUU) | estadounidense |
Estonia | Estonia | estonio/-na |
Eswatini | Esuatini | esuatiní |
Ethiopia | Etiopía | etíope |
Russian Federation | Rusia | ruso/-sa |
Philippines | Filipinas | filipino/-na |
Finland | Finlandia | finlandés/-sa |
Fiji | Fiyi | fiyiano/-na |
France | Francia | francés/-sa |
Gabon | Gabón | gabonés/-sa |
Wales | Gales | galés/-sa |
The Gambia | Gambia | gambiano/-na |
Georgia | Georgia | georgiano/-na |
Ghana | Ghana | ghanés/-sa |
Great Britain | Gran Bretaña | británico/-ca |
Granada | Granada | granadino/-na |
Greece | Grecia | griego/-ga |
Greenland | Groenlandia | groenlandés/-sa |
Guatemala | Guatemala | guatemalteco/-ca |
Guinea | Guinea | guineano/-na |
Guinea-Bissau | Guinea-Bisáu | de Guinea-Bisáu |
Equatorial Guinea | Guinea Ecuatorial | ecuatoguineano/-na |
Guyana | Guyana | guyanés/-sa |
Haiti | Haití | haitiano/-na |
Honduras | Honduras | hondureño/-ña |
Hong Kong | Hong Kong | hongkonés/-sa |
Hungary | Hungría | húngaro/-ra |
India | India | indio/-dia |
Indonesia | Indonesia | indonesio/-sia |
England | Inglaterra | inglés/-sa |
Iran (Islamic Republic of) | Irán, (República Islámica del) | iraní |
Iraq | Irak | iraquí |
Ireland | Irlanda | irlandés/-sa |
Northern Ireland | Irlanda del Norte | norirlandés/-sa |
Iceland | Islandia | islandés/-sa |
Faroe Islands | Islas Feroe | feroés/-sa |
Falkland Islands | Islas Malvinas | malvinense |
Marshall Islands | Islas Marshall | marshalés/-sa |
Solomon Islands | Islas Salomón | salomonense |
Israel | Israel | israelí |
Italy | Italia | italiano/-na |
Jamaica | Jamaica | jamaicano/-na |
Japan | Japón | japonés/-sa |
Jordan | Jordania | jordano/-na |
Kazakhstan | Kazajistán | kazajo/-ja |
Kenya | Kenia | keniata |
Kyrgyzstan | Kirguistán | kirguís |
Kiribati | Kiribati | kiribatiano/-na |
Kosovo (Republic of) | Kosovo, (República de) | kosovar |
Kuwait | Kuwait | kuwaití |
Lao People’s Democratic Republic | Laos | laosiano/-na |
Lesotho | Lesoto | lesotense |
Latvia | Letonia | letón/-na |
Lebanon | Líbano | libanés/-sa |
Liberia | Liberia | liberiano/-na |
Libya | Libia | libio/-bia |
Liechtenstein | Liechtenstein | liechtensteiniano/-na |
Lithuania | Lituania | lituano/-na |
Luxembourg | Luxemburgo | luxemburgués/-sa |
Macau | Macao | macaense |
North Macedonia | Macedonia del Norte | macedonio/-nia ciudadano/-a de la República de Macedonia del Norte |
Madagascar | Madagascar | malgache |
Malaysia | Malasia | malasio/-sia |
Malawi | Malaui | malauí |
Maldives | Maldivas | maldivo/-va |
Mali | Mali | malí |
Malta | Malta | maltés/-sa |
Morocco | Marruecos | marroquí |
Mauritius | Mauricio, (República de) | mauriciano/-na |
Mauritania | Mauritania | mauritano/-na |
Mexico | México | mexicano/-na |
Federated States of Micronesia | Micronesia (Estados Federados de) | micronesio/-sia |
Moldova/Republic of Moldova | Moldavia/República de Moldova | moldavo/-va |
Monaco | Mónaco | monegasco/-ca |
Mongoloia | Mongolia | mongol/-la |
Montenegro | Montenegro | montenegrino/-na |
Mozambique | Mozambique | mozambiqueño/-ña |
Burma/Myanmar | Myanmar/Birmania | de Myanmar/Birmania |
Naminia | Namibia | namibio/-bia |
Nauru | Nauru | nauruano/-na |
Nepal | Nepal | nepalés/-sa |
Nicaragua | Nicaragua | nicaragüense |
Niger | Níger | nigerino/-na |
Nigeria | Nigeria | nigeriano/-na |
Norway | Noruega | noruego/-ga |
New Zealand | Nueva Zelanda | neozelandés/-sa |
Oman | Omán | omaní |
Netherlands | Países Bajos | neerlandés/-sa |
Pakistand | Pakistán | pakistaní |
Palau | Palaos | palauano/-na |
Palestine (State of) | Palestina (Estado de) | palestino/-na |
Panama | Panamá | panameño/-ña |
Papua New Guinea | Papúa Nueva Guinea | papú |
Paraguay | Paraguay | paraguayo/-ya |
Peru | Perú | peruano/-na |
Poland | Polonia | polaco/-ca |
Portugal | Portugal | portugués/-sa |
Puerto Rico | Puerto Rico | puertorriqueño/-ña |
United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland | Reino Unido de Gran Bretaña e Irlanda del Norte | británico/-a |
Syria | República Árabe Siria/Siria | sirio/-ria |
Central African Republic | República Centroafricana | centroafricano/-na |
Czech Republic | República Checa, Chequia | checo/-ca |
Dominican Republic | República Dominicana | dominicano/-na |
United Republic of Tanzania | República Unida de Tanzania | tanzano/-na |
Rwanda | Ruanda | ruandés/-sa |
Romania | Rumanía | rumano/-na |
Samoa | Samoa | samoano/-na |
Saint Kitts and Nevis | San Cristóbal y Nieves | sancristobaleño/-ña |
San Marino | San Marino | sanmarinense |
Saint Vincent and the Grenadines | San Vicente y las Granadinas | sanvicentino/-na |
Saint Lucia | Santa Lucía | santalucense |
São Tomé and Príncipe | Santo Tomé y Príncipe | santotomense |
Senegal | Senegal | senegalés/-sa |
Serbia | Serbia | serbio/-bia |
Seychelles | Seychelles | seychellense |
Sierra Leone | Sierra Leona | sierraleonés/-sa |
Singapore | Singapur | singapurense |
Somalia | Somalia | somalí |
Sri Lanka | Sri Lanka | esrilanqués/-sa |
Swaziland | Suazilandia | suazi |
South Africa | Sudáfrica | sudafricano/-na |
Sudan | Sudán | sudanés |
South Sudan | Sudán del Sur | sursudanés |
Sweden | Suecia | sueco/-ca |
Switzerland | Suiza | suizo/-za |
Suriname | Surinam | surinamés/-sa |
Thailand | Tailandia | tailandés/-sa |
Taiwan | Taiwán | taiwanés/-sa |
Tanzania | Tanzania | tanzano/-a |
Tajikistan | Tayikistán | tayiko/-ka |
TImor-Leste | Timor Oriental | timorense |
Togo | Togo | togolés/-sa |
Tonga | Tonga | tongano/-na |
Trinidad and Tobago | Trinidad y Tobago | trinitense |
Tunisia | Túnez | tunecino/-na |
Turkmenistan | Turkmenistán | turcomano/-na |
Turkey, Türkiye | Turquía | turco/-ca |
Tuvalu | Tuvalu | tuvaluano/-na |
Ukraine | Ucrania | ucraniano/-na |
Uganda | Uganda | ugandés/-sa |
Uruguay | Uruguay | uruguayo/-ya oriental |
Uzbekistan | Uzbekistán | uzbeko/-ka |
Vanuatu | Vanuatu | vanuatuense |
Venezuela | Venezuela, (República Bolivariana de) | venezolano/-na |
Vietnam | Vietnam | vietnamita |
Yemen | Yemen | yemení |
Zambia | Zambia | zambiano/-na |
Zimbabwe | Zimbabue | zimbabuense |