cliente
“cliente” means “customer” in Spanish. It has 2 different meanings depending on context:
customer, client
Also: patron
📝 In Action
El cliente siempre tiene la razón.
A2The customer is always right.
Soy cliente habitual de esta cafetería.
A2I am a regular customer of this coffee shop.
La abogada está esperando a su próximo cliente.
B1The lawyer is waiting for her next client.
client
📝 In Action
El cliente de correo electrónico no puede conectarse al servidor.
B2The email client cannot connect to the server.
Este es un error del lado del cliente, no del servidor.
C1This is a client-side error, not a server-side one.
✏️ Quick Practice
Quick Quiz: cliente
Question 1 of 1
Which sentence uses 'cliente' most appropriately?
📚 More Resources
👥 Word Family▼
📚 Etymology▼
Comes from the Latin word 'cliens', which in Ancient Rome referred to a common person who was under the protection of a powerful noble. Over time, the meaning shifted from a person receiving protection to a person receiving professional services.
First recorded: 13th century
Cognates (Related words)
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Frequently Asked Questions
What's the difference between 'cliente' and 'clienta'?
'Cliente' is for a man, and 'clienta' is for a woman. If you're talking about a group of mixed gender or you don't know the gender, you use the plural 'clientes'.
Can I use 'cliente' for a patient at a doctor's office?
No, that's not common. For a doctor, dentist, or hospital, the correct word is 'paciente'. 'Cliente' is for commercial or professional services, not medical ones.