discurso
“discurso” means “speech” in Spanish. It has 2 different meanings depending on context:
speech
Also: talk, lecture
📝 In Action
El presidente dio un discurso sobre la economía del país.
B1The president gave a speech about the country's economy.
Fue un discurso muy emotivo que hizo llorar a varias personas.
B2It was a very emotional speech that made several people cry.
Tengo que preparar un discurso para la boda de mi hermana.
A2I have to prepare a speech for my sister's wedding.
discourse
Also: reasoning, argument
📝 In Action
El discurso dominante en los medios ha cambiado drásticamente.
C1The dominant discourse (way of communicating/thinking) in the media has changed drastically.
Es difícil seguir el discurso lógico del filósofo.
B2It is difficult to follow the logical reasoning of the philosopher.
Translate to Spanish
✏️ Quick Practice
Quick Quiz: discurso
Question 1 of 1
In which sentence does 'discurso' refer to a way of thinking or communicating, rather than a specific spoken event?
📚 More Resources
👥 Word Family▼
📚 Etymology▼
Comes from the Latin word *discursus*, which originally meant 'running to and fro' or 'running about.' This idea of movement evolved to mean the 'flow of conversation or argument,' and eventually settled on the meaning of a formal, continuous talk.
First recorded: 13th century
Cognates (Related words)
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Frequently Asked Questions
¿Cuál es la diferencia entre 'discurso' y 'charla'?
'Discurso' is usually a formal, prepared, and often long address given by one person to an audience (like a political speech or a graduation address). 'Charla' is much more informal, meaning a casual chat or a short, friendly talk.
¿Es 'discurso' siempre una palabra negativa?
No. While 'discurso' can sometimes imply empty political talk or rhetoric, it is generally a neutral word. It simply means a formal speech or a flow of logical ideas. Its tone depends entirely on the context.