centro
/SEN-tro/
center
The image shows a dot in the centro (center) of a circle.
📝 In Action
Pon el florero en el centro de la mesa.
A1Put the vase in the center of the table.
La Tierra no es el centro del universo.
A2The Earth is not the center of the universe.
Hay un punto en el centro exacto del círculo.
B1There is a dot in the exact center of the circle.
💡 Grammar Points
'El centro' vs. 'Al centro'
Use 'en el centro' to say something IS in the center ('El libro está en el centro'). Use 'al centro' to talk about moving something TO the center ('Mueve la silla al centro').
⭐ Usage Tips
The Core Idea
This is the most basic meaning of 'centro'. Think of it as the bullseye on a target. All other meanings of 'centro' grow from this simple idea of 'the middle'.
This is the centro (downtown or city center), characterized by tall buildings.
centro(Noun)
downtown
?the main commercial and business area of a city
city center
?the central part of a town or city
📝 In Action
Vamos al centro a cenar esta noche.
A2Let's go downtown to have dinner tonight.
Mi oficina está en el centro de la ciudad.
A2My office is in the city center.
El centro histórico es muy bonito por la noche.
B1The historic downtown is very beautiful at night.
❌ Common Pitfalls
'Centro' vs. 'Ciudad'
Mistake: "Voy a la ciudad. (when you mean 'downtown')"
Correction: Voy al centro. 'Ciudad' means the entire city, while 'centro' refers to the main, central part of it.
⭐ Usage Tips
Just 'el centro'
You can often just say 'el centro' by itself, and people will understand you mean the downtown area of whatever city you're in. For example, '¿Hay un banco en el centro?'
A centro comercial (shopping center) is a specific type of facility.
centro(Noun)
center
?a place for a specific activity, e.g., 'shopping center'
facility
?a place or building for a particular purpose
,institution
?an organization founded for a specific purpose
📝 In Action
El centro comercial abre a las diez.
A2The shopping center opens at ten.
Necesito ir al centro de salud para una cita.
B1I need to go to the health center for an appointment.
Es un centro de investigación muy importante.
B2It's a very important research center.
⭐ Usage Tips
A Building Block Word
Think of 'centro' here as a building block. You combine it with another word to name a place: 'centro' + 'comercial' (shopping) = shopping center. 'Centro' + 'deportivo' (sports) = sports center.
The star is the centro de atención (center of attention or focus).
centro(Noun)
focus
?the main point of attention or interest
center
?as in 'center of attention'
,heart
?figuratively, the core of an issue
📝 In Action
Ella siempre es el centro de atención en las fiestas.
B1She is always the center of attention at parties.
El medio ambiente fue el centro del debate.
B2The environment was the focus of the debate.
⭐ Usage Tips
From Places to Ideas
This meaning takes the idea of a physical 'center' and applies it to abstract things like conversations, problems, or attention. It's the main point that everything else revolves around.
The character performs the action: Yo centro la pieza (I center the piece).
centro(Verb)
I center
?placing something in the middle
I focus
?directing attention or effort
📝 In Action
Primero, centro la imagen en la pantalla.
B1First, I center the image on the screen.
Yo centro mi atención en el proyecto más importante.
B2I focus my attention on the most important project.
💡 Grammar Points
From Noun to Action
This is the 'I' form of the verb 'centrar', which means 'to center' or 'to focus'. You can see how the action of 'centering' something comes directly from the idea of a 'center' (the noun).
🔄 Conjugations
indicative
present
preterite
imperfect
subjunctive
present
imperfect
✏️ Quick Practice
💡 Quick Quiz: centro
Question 1 of 1
Which sentence uses 'centro' to mean 'downtown'?
📚 More Resources
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I know if 'centro' means 'downtown' or 'the middle' of something?
It's all about context! If you're talking about a city, towns, or directions, 'el centro' almost always means 'downtown'. If you're talking about an object, a room, or a shape, it means 'the middle'. Your brain will start making the connection automatically with a little practice!
Is 'centro comercial' the same as a mall?
Yes, exactly! 'Centro comercial' is the most common way to say 'shopping mall' or 'shopping center' in the Spanish-speaking world.