espacio
“espacio” means “space” in Spanish. It has 4 different meanings depending on context:
space, room
Also: gap, place
📝 In Action
No hay espacio en el coche para más maletas.
A1There's no space/room in the car for more suitcases.
Necesitamos más espacio para la mesa nueva.
A2We need more space for the new table.
Por favor, haz un poco de espacio para que pueda sentarme.
B1Please, make a little space so I can sit down.
space
📝 In Action
Los astronautas viajan al espacio.
A2Astronauts travel to space.
La Estación Espacial Internacional orbita la Tierra.
B1The International Space Station orbits the Earth.
Siempre me ha fascinado el espacio exterior.
B2Outer space has always fascinated me.
space, blank
📝 In Action
Escribe tu nombre en el espacio en blanco.
A2Write your name in the blank space.
Deja un espacio de dos centímetros en el margen.
B1Leave a two-centimeter space in the margin.
period, space
Also: span
📝 In Action
En el espacio de una hora, la tormenta pasó.
B1In the space of an hour, the storm passed.
Muchas cosas pueden cambiar en un corto espacio de tiempo.
B2A lot of things can change in a short period of time.
Translate to Spanish
✏️ Quick Practice
Quick Quiz: espacio
Question 1 of 1
Which sentence uses 'espacio' to talk about a period of time?
📚 More Resources
👥 Word Family▼
📚 Etymology▼
Comes directly from the Latin word 'spatium', which meant 'space, distance, or a stretch of time'. Spanish kept all of these related meanings.
First recorded: Around the 12th century
Cognates (Related words)
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Frequently Asked Questions
What's the difference between 'espacio', 'lugar', and 'sitio'?
Great question! They can be tricky. Think of it this way: 'Espacio' is about open area or capacity ('Is there space?'). 'Lugar' is a general 'place' or location ('This is a beautiful place'). 'Sitio' is more like a specific 'spot' or 'site' ('Let's meet at that spot'). While they sometimes overlap, 'espacio' is the best word for 'room' or 'emptiness'.
Is the 'c' in 'espacio' pronounced like a 'th' or an 's'?
It depends on where you are! In most of Spain, the 'c' before an 'i' or 'e' is pronounced like 'th' in 'thin' (/es-PA-thyo/). In Latin America and some parts of Spain, it's pronounced like an 's' (/es-PA-syo/). Both are perfectly correct, but the 's' sound is much more common worldwide.