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biblioteca

bee-blee-oh-TEH-kah/biβljoˈteka/

“biblioteca” means “library” in Spanish. It has 2 different meanings depending on context:

library

Also: book collection
NounfA1
A brightly colored, friendly illustration of the exterior of a public library building with large windows and a sign (without text) indicating its purpose.

📝 In Action

Fui a la biblioteca municipal para estudiar en silencio.

A1

I went to the municipal library to study in silence.

La biblioteca de mi abuelo tiene más de mil libros antiguos.

A2

My grandfather's book collection (library) has more than a thousand old books.

Necesito sacar un carné de biblioteca para poder llevarme los libros a casa.

A2

I need to get a library card to be able to take the books home.

Word Connections

Synonyms

  • archivo (archive)
  • hemeroteca (newspaper/magazine library)

Common Collocations

  • biblioteca pública / municipal – public / municipal library
  • biblioteca digital – digital library

library

Also: database
NounfB2formal
An illustration showing colorful, glowing digital blocks and modules stacked neatly inside a stylized computer interface, representing a software library.

📝 In Action

El programador descargó una biblioteca de código abierto para el proyecto.

B2

The programmer downloaded an open-source library for the project.

Esta universidad mantiene una biblioteca virtual con miles de artículos científicos.

C1

This university maintains a virtual library with thousands of scientific articles.

Word Connections

Synonyms

  • repositorio (repository)
  • base de datos (database)

Common Collocations

  • biblioteca de software – software library
  • biblioteca de funciones – function library

Translate to Spanish

Words that translate to "biblioteca" in Spanish:

book collection→database→library→

✏️ Quick Practice

Quick Quiz: biblioteca

Question 1 of 2

If you want to buy the latest novel, where should you go?

📚 More Resources

👥 Word Family▼
bibliotecario(librarian (male)) — Noun
bibliotecaria(librarian (female)) — Noun
bibliófilo(book lover) — Noun
🎵 Rhymes▼
📚 Etymology▼

This word comes from the ancient Greek words *biblion* (meaning 'book' or 'scroll') and *theke* (meaning 'box,' 'chest,' or 'storage place'). So, a 'biblioteca' is literally a 'storage place for books.'

First recorded: Medieval Latin

Cognates (Related words)

English: libraryFrench: bibliothèquePortuguese: biblioteca

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Frequently Asked Questions

How is 'biblioteca' different from 'librería'?

This is a huge point of confusion! A 'biblioteca' is a library—a place where you borrow books and study. A 'librería' is a bookstore—a place where you buy books.

Does 'biblioteca' ever mean a collection of something non-physical?

Yes, absolutely. Especially in technology and academic fields, it means a digital or virtual collection of resources, like a 'software library' (biblioteca de software) or a 'virtual database' (biblioteca virtual).