A peaceful stone building with arched windows and a garden, representing a convent.

convento

kohn-BEHN-toh

nounmB1

convent?a house for religious sisters/nuns,monastery?a house for religious brothers/monks

Also:religious community?referring to the group of people living there

📝 In Action

El antiguo convento ha sido transformado en un museo nacional.

The old convent has been transformed into a national museum.

Las monjas viven y rezan en el convento.

The nuns live and pray in the convent.

Es un convento de clausura, por lo que no reciben visitas.

It is a cloistered convent, so they do not receive visitors.

Word Connections

Synonyms

monasterio (monastery)
abadía (abbey)
cenobio (cenoby (religious community))

Common Collocations

convento de clausura – cloistered convent (where residents don't leave)
entrar en un convento – to join a convent
la vida de convento – convent life

💡 Grammar Points

Gender of the word

'Convento' is a masculine noun because it ends in '-o'. You should always use 'el' or 'un' with it, even if only women live inside.

❌ Common Pitfalls

Don't change the ending for gender

Mistake: "La conventa"

Correction: El convento

⭐ Usage Tips

Monks or Nuns?

In English, we usually use 'convent' for women and 'monastery' for men. In Spanish, 'convento' can actually refer to both, though it is very frequently associated with nuns today.

✏️ Quick Practice

💡 Quick Quiz: convento

Question 1 of 1

If you are visiting a building where a group of nuns lives, how do you refer to it in Spanish?

📚 More Resources

Word Family

conventual(relating to a convent) - adjective

exconvento(former convent) - noun

Frequently Asked Questions

Is a 'convento' the same as a 'monasterio'?

They are very similar! Historically, a 'convento' was often located inside a town or city to serve the people, while a 'monasterio' was usually in a remote or rural area for quiet contemplation.

Can men live in a 'convento'?

Yes. While in modern English 'convent' usually means nuns, in Spanish, a 'convento' can house either monks (frailes) or nuns (monjas).