cárcel
“cárcel” means “prison” in Spanish. It has 2 different meanings depending on context:
prison, jail
Also: penitentiary
📝 In Action
El ladrón fue enviado a la cárcel por diez años.
A2The thief was sent to prison for ten years.
Pasó la noche en la cárcel del pueblo después de la pelea.
B1He spent the night in the town jail after the fight.
Las condiciones en esa cárcel son muy malas.
B1The conditions in that prison are very bad.
prison
Also: trap
📝 In Action
Para ella, su matrimonio se había convertido en una cárcel.
C1For her, her marriage had become a prison.
Sentía que su pequeño pueblo era una cárcel de la que no podía escapar.
B2He felt that his small town was a prison he couldn't escape from.
La timidez puede ser una cárcel que te impide conocer gente nueva.
B2Shyness can be a prison that keeps you from meeting new people.
✏️ Quick Practice
Quick Quiz: cárcel
Question 1 of 1
Which sentence uses 'cárcel' in a figurative (not literal) way?
📚 More Resources
👥 Word Family▼
🎵 Rhymes▼
📚 Etymology▼
Comes from the Latin word 'carcer', which meant 'prison' or 'enclosure'. It's related to words about enclosing or restraining things.
First recorded: Around the 12th century
Cognates (Related words)
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Frequently Asked Questions
What's the difference between 'cárcel' and 'prisión'?
In everyday conversation, they are often used interchangeably, much like 'jail' and 'prison' in English. If you want to be specific, 'cárcel' can sometimes refer to a smaller, local jail for shorter sentences, while 'prisión' is a more general term. But in most contexts, you can use either one.
Why does 'cárcel' have an accent mark?
The accent on the 'á' is a guide for pronunciation. It tells you to put the stress on that syllable: CAR-cel. Without it, the rules of Spanish stress would make you say 'car-CEL', which is incorrect.