School Words in Spanish
School vocabulary is one of the most practical word sets you can learn in Spanish. Whether you are a student in a Spanish-speaking country, a parent communicating with your child's school, or just building your vocabulary foundation, these words come up in conversations every day. This guide covers classrooms, supplies, subjects, and people with accurate pronunciation.
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People at School — Personas en la Escuela
The people you interact with at school are among the first words you need. Many of these words change form depending on whether the person is male or female, following standard Spanish gender patterns.
The word estudiante is the same for both masculine and feminine -- only the article changes: el estudiante (male) vs la estudiante (female). This is common with nouns ending in -nte.
Classroom and Supplies — El Aula y los Útiles
These are the physical items and places you encounter every day in a school environment. Having this vocabulary ready makes classroom interactions much smoother.
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Subjects — Las Materias
School subjects in Spanish are not capitalized (unlike in English). This is a common mistake learners make. Here are the core subjects you will encounter.
Academic Life — La Vida Académica
These words cover the activities and events that make up school life, from exams to grades to graduation.
- el Examen (ehk-sah-mehn) — Exam / Test
- la Tarea (tah-reh-ah) — Homework
- la Nota (noh-tah) — Grade / Mark
- la Calificación (kah-lee-fee-kah-syohn) — Grade (formal)
- el Horario (oh-rah-ryoh) — Schedule / Timetable
- el Recreo (reh-kreh-oh) — Recess / Break
- la Graduación (grah-dwah-syohn) — Graduation
The plural of examen is exámenes (note the accent shift). This is a common irregularity that trips up learners. Similarly, lápiz becomes lápices in the plural.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the difference between maestro and profesor in Spanish?
Maestro/maestra typically refers to a primary school teacher. Profesor/profesora is used for secondary school and university teachers. In everyday speech, both are used somewhat interchangeably, but the distinction matters in formal contexts.
How do you say "homework" in Spanish?
The most common word is tarea (singular) or tareas (plural). In Spain, you may also hear deberes. Both are widely understood. "Tengo mucha tarea" means "I have a lot of homework."
Is escuela or colegio more common?
Escuela is the general word for school. Colegio often refers to a private school in Latin America, but in Spain it means any primary school. Instituto is used for high school in Spain, while preparatoria (or "prepa") is used in Mexico.
How do you say "to study" vs "to learn" in Spanish?
Estudiar means "to study" (the active process). Aprender means "to learn" (to acquire knowledge). You study (estudiar) for an exam, and through that process you learn (aprender) the material.
Are school subject names capitalized in Spanish?
No. Unlike English, Spanish does not capitalize school subjects unless they appear at the beginning of a sentence or in a title. You write matemáticas, historia, and ciencias in lowercase.