capital

kah-pee-TAHL

nounfA1

capital (city)?seat of government

Also:main city?most important city in a region

📝 In Action

París es la capital de Francia.

Paris is the capital of France.

La capital de mi provincia tiene mucha historia.

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

💡 Grammar Points

Feminine Noun

When referring to the city, 'capital' is always feminine, so you must use 'la capital'.

❌ Common Pitfalls

Confusing Gender

Mistake: "Usar 'el capital' para referirse a una ciudad."

Correction: Use 'la capital' (feminine) when talking about a city. 'El capital' means money.

⭐ Usage Tips

Remember the 'A' in City

Think of 'city' (ciudad) as feminine to help you remember that 'la capital' (the city) is feminine.

✏️ Quick Practice

💡 Quick Quiz: capital

Question 1 of 2

Which sentence correctly uses 'capital' to mean money?

📚 More Resources

Word Family

capitalismo(capitalism) - noun

capitalista(capitalist) - noun/adjective

capitalizar(to capitalize) - verb

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'.