adentro
/a-DEN-tro/
inside
This image shows movement into a place, illustrating the primary adverbial use of adentro (inside/inward).
adentro(Adverb)
inside
?Indicating location or movement into a place
,in
?As in 'Come in!'
inward
?Describing the direction of movement
📝 In Action
Hace frío afuera, ¡vamos adentro!
A1It's cold outside, let's go inside!
Por favor, pasen adentro y siéntense.
A2Please, come inside and sit down.
El perro no quiere entrar, prefiere estar afuera que adentro.
B1The dog doesn't want to come in; he prefers to be outside than inside.
💡 Grammar Points
Adentro vs. Dentro
These two words are very close, but have a slight difference. Think of 'adentro' as suggesting movement to the inside (Vamos adentro). 'Dentro' is more about a static location at the inside (Estoy dentro). When you say 'inside OF something,' you almost always need 'dentro de' (dentro de la casa).
❌ Common Pitfalls
Adding unnecessary words
Mistake: "El gato está en adentro de la casa."
Correction: Just say 'El gato está adentro' or 'El gato está dentro de la casa.' You don't need 'en' before 'adentro'.
⭐ Usage Tips
Use it on its own
'Adentro' works perfectly by itself to mean 'inside' as a location or destination. For example, if someone asks '¿Dónde está mamá?' (Where is mom?), you can simply answer, 'Está adentro' (She's inside).
Adentro can also be used as a noun meaning 'the inside' or 'the interior,' referring to the inner space of an object.
📝 In Action
El adentro de la cueva era muy oscuro y húmedo.
B2The inside of the cave was very dark and damp.
Tenemos que limpiar los adentros del coche este fin de semana.
B2We have to clean the inside of the car this weekend.
⭐ Usage Tips
Talking about 'the inside' as a thing
When you want to talk about the 'inside' as a noun (a thing), you can put 'el' or 'los' in front of 'adentro(s)'. This is similar to how you might say 'the interior' in English.
In figurative use, adentro means 'inwardly' or 'on the inside,' referring to hidden thoughts or feelings, contrasting external appearance with internal reality.
adentro(Adverb)
inwardly
?Relating to thoughts or feelings
,to oneself
?As in 'thinking to oneself'
on the inside
?Emotionally
📝 In Action
Parecía tranquilo, pero por adentro sentía mucho miedo.
B2He seemed calm, but on the inside he felt very scared.
«Qué extraño», pensó para sus adentros.
C1'How strange,' he thought to himself.
⭐ Usage Tips
Talking About Feelings
This use of 'adentro' isn't about a physical place, but about a person's inner world of thoughts and emotions. It's a beautiful way to contrast how someone appears with how they truly feel.
✏️ Quick Practice
💡 Quick Quiz: adentro
Question 1 of 2
Which sentence correctly uses 'adentro' to mean 'let's go inside'?
📚 More Resources
Frequently Asked Questions
What's the real difference between 'adentro' and 'dentro'?
It's a great question because they are very similar! The simplest way to think about it is that 'adentro' often suggests movement *to* the inside (like 'inward'), while 'dentro' is more about the location *at* the inside. A key rule is when you want to say 'inside OF something,' you almost always use 'dentro de'. For example, 'Estoy dentro de la casa' (I'm inside the house) is much more common than 'Estoy adentro de la casa,' although you will hear the second one in Latin America.
Can I say 'adentro de'?
Yes, you can, and many native speakers do, especially in Latin America. However, in formal writing and in Spain, it's considered more correct to use 'dentro de'. For learners, it's a safe bet to use 'adentro' when it stands alone ('Vamos adentro') and 'dentro de' when you're specifying what it's inside of ('dentro de la caja').