Key Facts
- Hangul: 스페인어; Revised Romanization: seupeineo
- Part of speech: noun
- Origin: mixed: the loanword 스페인 + the Sino-Korean 어 (語, language)
- Register: neutral, standard name for the language
Spanish in Korean: What Does 스페인어 Mean?
스페인어 means the Spanish language. The country is 스페인; the 어 at the end turns it into a language name. This is the same pattern as many other language names; English, 영어, is another word ending in 어. To say "in Spanish", add 로: 스페인어로.
How Do You Pronounce 스페인어?
Four syllables: seu-pe-i-neo. The n at the end of 인 links into the final vowel, so in speech it sounds like seu-pe-i-neo, not seu-pein-eo. The last vowel ㅓ (eo) is a relaxed "uh" with the lips unrounded.
Example Sentences with 스페인어
스페인어를 배우고 있어요.
Seupeineoreul baeugo isseoyo
I am learning Spanish.
배우고 있어요 means "am learning", an action in progress. 를 marks the language as the object.
스페인어는 발음이 쉬워요.
Seupeineoneun bareumi swiwoyo
Spanish pronunciation is easy.
발음 is "pronunciation", and 쉬워요 means "is easy". The sentence gives an opinion about the language.
멕시코 사람들은 스페인어를 해요.
Meksiko saramdeureun seupeineoreul haeyo
Mexicans speak Spanish.
멕시코 사람들은 means "Mexican people" as the topic, and 해요 here means "speak".
Common Phrases and Collocations
| Korean | Meaning |
|---|---|
| 스페인어 수업 | Spanish class |
| 스페인어를 배우다 | to learn Spanish |
| 스페인어를 하다 | to speak Spanish |
| 스페인어로 | in Spanish |
The Mistake to Avoid
Wrong: using the country name 스페인 for the language.
Correct: add 어 to get 스페인어. For "in Spanish", use 로: 스페인어로 (the particle is 으로 after a consonant and 로 after a vowel).
스페인어 Compared with Similar Words
| Word | Meaning | How it differs |
|---|---|---|
| 스페인어 | Spanish (language) | This page's word |
| 스페인 | Spain | The country, not the language |
| 에스파냐어 | Spanish (variant) | A variant based on 에스파냐; rarely heard |
| 영어 | English | Another language name ending in 어 |
Where Does the Word Come From?
스페인어 combines the loanword 스페인 with 어, the Korean reading of 語 (language). That makes it a mixed word: a borrowed country name with a Sino-Korean ending.
Choosing a Language at a Language Exchange
Two people have just met at a language exchange. They check whether they can practise Spanish together.
Jisu
스페인어 할 줄 알아요?
Seupeineo hal jul arayo?
Do you know how to speak Spanish?
Alex
네, 조금 할 줄 알아요.
Ne, jogeum hal jul arayo.
Yes, I can speak a little.
Jisu
그럼 스페인어로 이야기할까요?
Geureom seupeineoro iyagihalkkayo?
Then shall we talk in Spanish?
Alex
좋아요. 천천히 말해 주세요.
Joayo. Cheoncheonhi malhae juseyo.
Sounds good. Please speak slowly.
할 줄 알아요 asks about a learned ability. The object marker 를 is left out after 스페인어 in the first line, as often happens in conversation. 스페인어로 names the language they will use for the conversation. The final request gives a practical way to keep that conversation manageable.
Learning Spanish and Using Spanish Are Different Patterns
스페인어를 배우다 means learning Spanish, while 스페인어로 말하다 means speaking in Spanish. The first treats the language as the thing learned. The second treats it as the means of communication. Choose the particle by the job the language name does in the sentence.
스페인어를 하다 is also an everyday way to talk about speaking Spanish. Here 하다 does not mean “make” or “create” a language; the language name gives it the meaning “speak”. 스페인어를 잘하다 means being good at Spanish. 잘하다 is written as one word in this expression of skill.
To talk about your first language, use 모국어. 스페인어가 모국어예요 means “Spanish is my first language”. This says something about language background, not nationality. Someone can have Spanish as a first language without coming from Spain, as the example about Mexico helps show.
Which Phrases Appear in Classes and Media?
스페인어 수업 is a Spanish class. 수업 focuses on the lesson or teaching session, while 스페인어 공부 names the activity of studying Spanish. A timetable may use the short label 스페인어; a person describing their studies may use the longer phrase to make the activity clear.
스페인어 자막 means Spanish subtitles. 자막 is written text on screen, so the label tells you the subtitle language. 스페인어 더빙 means Spanish dubbing, where the spoken soundtrack is in Spanish. These labels answer different questions: what you can read and what you can hear.
스페인어로 번역하다 means translating into Spanish. After a destination language, 로 marks the language the translation will use. This is another reason “in Spanish” cannot be translated by the country name alone. A Spanish-language version and a product made in Spain are different descriptions.
Does 스페인어 Mean Every English Use of “Spanish”?
스페인어 names the language. Use 스페인 사람 for a Spanish person and 스페인 음식 for Spanish food. In English, one word can cover all three; Korean makes the distinction visible. An introduction about nationality needs the person phrase, while a question about language ability needs 스페인어.
The language name is neutral in a classroom, at work, or with friends. The polite questions in the dialogue work when meeting someone new. Asking about their ability does not assume where they were born. That is useful at a language exchange, where people may speak several languages.
Language-Learning Words to Learn Next
| Korean | Meaning | Useful note |
|---|---|---|
| 모국어 | first / native language | Describes language background. |
| 외국어 | foreign language | A language learned in addition to one’s own. |
| 발음 | pronunciation | The sound-related word in the existing example. |
| 자막 | subtitles / captions | Identifies written language on screen. |
The nationalities and languages lesson groups language names with the words for countries and people. Keep those categories separate when introducing yourself.
Quick Self-Test
- Which phrase means “speak in Spanish”: 스페인어로 말하다 or 스페인에 가다?
- Does having Spanish as a first language mean someone must be from Spain?
- Which label should you look for to read Spanish text beneath a video?
Show answers
- 스페인어로 말하다. The other phrase means going to Spain.
- No. Language background and nationality are separate information.
- 스페인어 자막, Spanish subtitles.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do you say "Spanish" in Korean?
Say 스페인어 (seupeineo).
How do you say "in Spanish" in Korean?
Say 스페인어로.
How do you say "to learn Spanish"?
Say 스페인어를 배우다.
Is 스페인 the language?
No. 스페인 is the country. Add 어 for the language: 스페인어.
Related Words and What to Learn Next
- Theme list: nationalities and languages vocabulary groups 스페인어 with other language names.
- Index: Korean words A to Z.
- Practice: vocabulary flashcard decks.
- The country: Spain in Korean.
- Compare: English in Korean.