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capital

kah-pee-TAHL/ka.piˈtal/

capital (city)

Also: main city
NounfA1
A colorful illustration of a grand government building with a large dome, symbolizing the seat of government in a capital city.

📝 In Action

París es la capital de Francia.

A1

Paris is the capital of France.

La capital de mi provincia tiene mucha historia.

A2

The capital of my province has a lot of history.

Word Connections

Synonyms

  • ciudad principal (main city)

Common Collocations

  • capital del mundo – world capital
  • capital administrativa – administrative capital

capital (money)

Also: assets, principal
NounmB1
A storybook illustration showing a massive, overflowing pile of golden coins and stacked paper money, representing financial capital.

📝 In Action

Necesitamos más capital para iniciar el proyecto.

B1

We need more capital to start the project.

El capital humano es el recurso más valioso de la empresa.

B2

Human capital is the company's most valuable resource.

Word Connections

Synonyms

Common Collocations

  • capital riesgo – venture capital
  • capital social – share capital

principal

Also: fundamental, chief
Adjectivem/fB2formal
An illustration showing one large, brightly colored star dominating the frame, symbolizing something principal or most important, surrounded by many smaller stars.

📝 In Action

La honestidad es una virtud capital en cualquier persona.

B2

Honesty is a principal/essential virtue in any person.

Cometieron un error capital al ignorar los avisos.

C1

They committed a fundamental error by ignoring the warnings.

Word Connections

Synonyms

Antonyms

Common Collocations

  • pecado capital – mortal sin (lit. 'capital sin')
  • importancia capital – fundamental importance

Vocabulary Collections

Translate to Spanish

Words that translate to "capital" in Spanish:

assets→chief→fundamental→main city→principal→

✏️ Quick Practice

Quick Quiz: capital

Question 1 of 2

Which sentence correctly uses 'capital' to mean money?

📚 More Resources

👥 Word Family▼
🎵 Rhymes▼
📚 Etymology▼

The word comes directly from the Latin word *capitālis*, which means 'pertaining to the head' (*caput*). This explains the two main meanings: the 'head' city of a country, and the 'head' or principal sum of money.

First recorded: 13th century

Cognates (Related words)

English: capitalFrench: capitale

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Frequently Asked Questions

¿Cuál es la diferencia entre 'la capital' y 'el capital'?

The difference is the gender and the meaning. 'La capital' (feminine) refers to the main city of a country or region. 'El capital' (masculine) refers to money, wealth, or assets.

Does 'capital' ever mean 'letter'?

Yes, 'letra capital' means 'capital letter' (uppercase letter), though 'mayúscula' is much more common. In this context, 'capital' is functioning as an adjective meaning 'chief' or 'main'.