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central

sen-TRAHL/θenˈtral/

central, main

Also: core, key
A single, bright yellow star placed perfectly in the center of a simple blue sky background, illustrating its central position.

📝 In Action

El parque está en una zona central de la ciudad.

A1

The park is in a central area of the city.

La idea central de su discurso fue la educación.

A2

The main idea of his speech was education.

Necesitamos un punto de encuentro central para todos.

A1

We need a central meeting point for everyone.

Word Connections

Synonyms

Antonyms

  • periférico (peripheral)
  • secundario (secondary)

Common Collocations

  • gobierno central – central government
  • calefacción central – central heating

headquarters

Also: exchange, station
NounfB1
A large, imposing, main administrative building with a flagpole in front of it, clearly dominating smaller surrounding buildings, symbolizing a headquarters.

📝 In Action

Llamé a la central para solicitar más información.

B1

I called the headquarters to request more information.

La compañía trasladó su central a la capital.

B2

The company moved its main office to the capital.

Word Connections

Synonyms

  • sede (seat/headquarters)
  • oficina principal (main office)

Common Collocations

  • central telefónica – telephone exchange
  • la central de policía – police headquarters

power plant

Also: generating station
NounfB2formal
An industrial facility with large smokestacks and cooling towers, representing a power plant generating energy.

📝 In Action

La central nuclear cerrará permanentemente en 2030.

B2

The nuclear power plant will close permanently in 2030.

Hubo una avería en la central hidroeléctrica anoche.

C1

There was a breakdown at the hydroelectric power station last night.

Word Connections

Synonyms

  • planta (plant/factory)
  • generadora (generator)

Common Collocations

  • central eléctrica – electric power plant
  • central térmica – thermal power plant

Translate to Spanish

✏️ Quick Practice

Quick Quiz: central

Question 1 of 1

Which sentence uses 'central' as a noun meaning 'headquarters'?

📚 More Resources

👥 Word Family▼
centro(center) — Noun
centrar(to center/focus) — Verb
centralizar(to centralize) — Verb
🎵 Rhymes▼
📚 Etymology▼

Comes directly from the Latin word *centralis*, which is derived from *centrum*, meaning 'center.' The Spanish word has kept its meaning very close to its original root, referring to the middle point or the most important part.

First recorded: 15th century

Cognates (Related words)

English: centralFrench: central

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Frequently Asked Questions

Does 'central' change its ending for masculine and feminine nouns?

No. When 'central' is an adjective (meaning main or located in the middle), it is one of those helpful words that stays the same regardless of the noun's gender or number. You use 'central' for 'el coche' and 'la casa'.

How is 'central' different from 'centro'?

'Centro' is a noun and means 'the center' or 'downtown' (e.g., 'Vamos al centro'). 'Central' is usually an adjective, meaning 'central' or 'main' (e.g., 'El problema central'). However, 'central' can also be a feminine noun meaning 'headquarters' or 'power plant'.