ciudad
“ciudad” means “city” in Spanish (a large urban area).
city
Also: town
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Vivo en una ciudad grande.
A1I live in a big city.
Madrid es una ciudad muy bonita.
A1Madrid is a very beautiful city.
Me gusta caminar por el centro de la ciudad.
A2I like to walk through the city center.
La vida en la ciudad puede ser estresante.
B1Life in the city can be stressful.
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📚 Etymology▼
Comes from the Old Spanish word 'cibdad', which itself comes from the Latin word 'cīvitātem', meaning 'citizenship' or 'state'. It's related to the idea of a community of citizens.
First recorded: Around the 10th century
Cognates (Related words)
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Frequently Asked Questions
What's the difference between 'ciudad' and 'pueblo'?
'Ciudad' refers to a large, developed urban area, like a city. 'Pueblo' refers to a smaller community, like a town or village. The line can be blurry, but if it's a place with millions of people, it's always a 'ciudad'.
Why does 'ciudad' end in -d but is still feminine?
Great question! Many Spanish nouns that end in '-dad', like 'universidad' (university) or 'libertad' (freedom), are feminine. This is a common pattern that comes from Latin. If you see a word ending in '-dad', it's almost always feminine.