civilización
/thee-vee-lee-sah-SYOHN (Spain) / see-vee-lee-sah-SYOHN (LatAm)/
civilization
Civilización as the general state of human social development and organization.
civilización(noun)
civilization
?The general state of human social development and organization
culture
?Focusing on the refinement and art of a society
,progress
?Referring to advancement
📝 In Action
La invención de la escritura fue un gran avance para la civilización.
B1The invention of writing was a great advance for civilization.
Debemos proteger los valores de nuestra civilización.
B2We must protect the values of our civilization.
💡 Grammar Points
The -ción Ending
Words ending in -ción (like civilización) are almost always feminine nouns in Spanish. This ending often corresponds to '-tion' or '-sion' in English.
❌ Common Pitfalls
Gender Error
Mistake: "El civilización"
Correction: La civilización. Remember that all nouns ending in -ción are feminine and need the article 'la'.
⭐ Usage Tips
Using the Article
When talking about the general concept of civilization, Spanish usually includes the definite article 'la' (La civilización avanzó mucho), whereas English sometimes omits it.
Civilización referring to a specific historical or geographic society.
civilización(noun)
civilization
?A specific historical or geographic society
society
?Referring to a large, organized group of people
📝 In Action
La civilización maya construyó pirámides impresionantes.
B1The Mayan civilization built impressive pyramids.
Estudiamos la caída de la civilización romana.
B2We are studying the fall of the Roman civilization.
💡 Grammar Points
Using Proper Nouns
When referring to a specific historical group (like the 'Inca' or 'Egyptian' civilization), always include the definite article 'la' before civilización.
✏️ Quick Practice
💡 Quick Quiz: civilización
Question 1 of 1
Which sentence uses 'civilización' to refer to a specific historical group?
📚 More Resources
Frequently Asked Questions
¿Es 'civilización' una palabra formal?
Yes, while everyone uses it, it is most often heard in serious discussions about history, politics, or culture. It is not generally used in casual, everyday conversation unless you are talking about big, abstract ideas.
How do I know the gender of a noun that ends in -ción?
A great rule of thumb! Almost every noun ending in -ción is feminine, meaning you should always use 'la' (la canción, la nación, la civilización). This is one of the most reliable gender patterns in Spanish.