Inklingo
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cliente

/klee-EN-teh/

customer

A colorful illustration of a smiling customer receiving a brown shopping bag from a cashier across a wooden counter.

In a store, the person purchasing goods is the 'cliente' (customer).

cliente(Noun)

mA1

customer

?

in a store, restaurant, or bank

,

client

?

for professional services (lawyer, architect, etc.)

Also:

patron

?

a regular visitor to an establishment

📝 In Action

El cliente siempre tiene la razón.

A2

The customer is always right.

Soy cliente habitual de esta cafetería.

A2

I am a regular customer of this coffee shop.

La abogada está esperando a su próximo cliente.

B1

The lawyer is waiting for her next client.

Word Connections

Synonyms

  • comprador (buyer)
  • usuario (user)

Antonyms

  • vendedor (seller)
  • proveedor (supplier)

Common Collocations

  • atención al cliente – customer service
  • cliente potencial – potential client/customer
  • cartera de clientes – client portfolio / customer base

💡 Grammar Points

Gender: 'cliente' and 'clienta'

The word 'cliente' refers to a male customer or is used when the gender isn't known. For a female customer, you must use the word 'clienta'.

❌ Common Pitfalls

Mixing up 'Cliente' and 'Huésped'

Mistake: "El hotel tiene muchos clientes nuevos."

Correction: It's more natural to say, 'El hotel tiene muchos huéspedes nuevos.' Use 'huésped' for a hotel guest and 'cliente' for almost everyone else who buys something.

⭐ Usage Tips

One Word Fits All

In English, 'client' can sound more formal than 'customer.' In Spanish, 'cliente' is the standard word for both. It's used everywhere, from a small bakery to a big law firm.

A stylized illustration showing a small laptop (the client) sending a blue data request signal toward a large, stationary server tower.

In networking, a small device requesting information from a central system is the 'cliente' (client).

cliente(Noun)

mB2

client

?

computing, networking

📝 In Action

El cliente de correo electrónico no puede conectarse al servidor.

B2

The email client cannot connect to the server.

Este es un error del lado del cliente, no del servidor.

C1

This is a client-side error, not a server-side one.

Word Connections

Antonyms

  • servidor (server)

Common Collocations

  • cliente de correo – email client
  • arquitectura cliente-servidor – client-server architecture

⭐ Usage Tips

A Tech Metaphor

This meaning is an extension of the business one. Think of your computer (the 'cliente') 'requesting a service' (like a webpage) from a big, central computer (the 'servidor').

✏️ Quick Practice

💡 Quick Quiz: cliente

Question 1 of 1

Which sentence uses 'cliente' most appropriately?

📚 More Resources

Word Family

clientela(clientele, customer base) - noun

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.