Inklingo

continental

kon-tee-nen-TAHL/kontinenˈtal/

continental means continental in Spanish (Relating to a continent or a specific style of service.).

continental

Also: mainland
Adjectivem or fA2
Spain
A tray featuring a continental breakfast with a croissant, a glass of orange juice, and a bowl of fruit.

📝 In Action

El hotel sirve un desayuno continental todas las mañanas.

A1

The hotel serves a continental breakfast every morning.

Madrid tiene un clima continental con veranos calurosos e inviernos fríos.

A2

Madrid has a continental climate with hot summers and cold winters.

La deriva continental es una teoría que explica el movimiento de las tierras.

B2

Continental drift is a theory that explains the movement of landmasses.

Word Connections

Synonyms

  • terrestre (land-based)
  • europeo (European (often used as a synonym in island nations))

Antonyms

  • insular (island-related)
  • marítimo (maritime/sea-related)

Common Collocations

  • desayuno continentalcontinental breakfast
  • clima continentalcontinental climate
  • plataforma continentalcontinental shelf

Vocabulary Collections

Translate to Spanish

Words that translate to "continental" in Spanish:

continentalmainland

✏️ Quick Practice

Quick Quiz: continental

Question 1 of 3

Which of these is a 'desayuno continental' likely to include?

📚 More Resources

👥 Word Family
continente(continent)Noun
continentalidad(continentality (climate characteristic))Noun
intercontinental(between continents)Adjective
🎵 Rhymes
📚 Etymology

From the Latin word 'continens,' which describes something that 'holds together' or is 'continuous.' It was used to describe a vast, unbroken stretch of land.

First recorded: 17th century

Cognates (Related words)

English: continentalFrench: continentalItalian: continentale

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Frequently Asked Questions

Does 'continental' ever become 'continentala'?

No. In Spanish, adjectives ending in -l are the same for both masculine and feminine nouns. For example: 'el aire continental' and 'la zona continental'.

Is 'continental' used the same way in Spanish as in English?

Yes, it is a 'cognate,' meaning it looks and means almost exactly the same thing in both languages, especially regarding geography and breakfast styles.

What is the plural of 'continental'?

The plural is 'continentales'. You simply add '-es' to the end.