A wide, empty paved road with yellow dividing lines cutting through rolling green hills under a bright blue sky.

carretera

cah-rreh-TAY-rah

nounfA1

road?General term for a main thoroughfare,highway?A major road, often linking cities

Also:route?The path followed

📝 In Action

La carretera nacional está muy transitada hoy.

The national highway is very busy today.

Necesitamos un mapa para seguir la carretera hasta la costa.

We need a map to follow the road to the coast.

El viaje por carretera nos llevó dos días enteros.

The road trip took us two whole days.

Word Connections

Synonyms

autopista (motorway, freeway (usually paid))
autovía (dual carriageway (usually free))
camino (path, way)

Common Collocations

viaje por carretera – road trip
peaje de carretera – road toll
curva peligrosa en la carretera – dangerous curve in the road

Idioms & Expressions

carretera de doble sentido – a two-way street (meaning give-and-take in a relationship or situation)

💡 Grammar Points

Feminine Noun Rule

Since 'carretera' ends in '-a', it is a feminine word. Always use the feminine article 'la' or 'una' with it, and make any adjectives agree: 'la carretera ancha' (the wide road).

❌ Common Pitfalls

Road vs. Street

Mistake: "Using 'carretera' for small roads inside a city or town."

Correction: Use 'calle' for streets within a city. 'Carretera' is usually the larger road connecting different towns or cities.

⭐ Usage Tips

Focus on the RR Sound

The double 'rr' (erre doble) must be pronounced with a strong, rolled sound, like a purr. Practice saying 'ca-rre-te-ra' to emphasize this distinctive Spanish sound.

✏️ Quick Practice

💡 Quick Quiz: carretera

Question 1 of 1

Which Spanish word would you use to describe the main street running through the center of a small village?

📚 More Resources

Word Family

carro(car, cart) - noun

carretero(road builder, carter) - noun/adjective

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the difference between 'carretera' and 'autopista'?

'Carretera' is a general term for a main road or highway. 'Autopista' specifically refers to a modern, high-speed freeway or motorway, which usually requires paying a toll (peaje). If it's a freeway that doesn't charge a toll, it's often called an 'autovía'.