espontáneo
“espontáneo” means “spontaneous” in Spanish. It has 2 different meanings depending on context:
spontaneous
Also: natural, voluntary
📝 In Action
Fue una decisión espontánea salir a caminar.
A2It was a spontaneous decision to go for a walk.
Me encanta que seas tan espontáneo y divertido.
B1I love that you are so spontaneous and fun.
El público estalló en un aplauso espontáneo.
B2The audience burst into spontaneous applause.
pitch invader
Also: intruder
📝 In Action
Un espontáneo saltó al campo durante la final.
B2A pitch invader jumped onto the field during the final.
La seguridad detuvo al espontáneo antes de que llegara a los jugadores.
C1Security stopped the intruder before he reached the players.
Translate to Spanish
Words that translate to "espontáneo" in Spanish:
pitch invader→✏️ Quick Practice
Quick Quiz: espontáneo
Question 1 of 3
Which sentence describes a personality trait?
📚 More Resources
👥 Word Family▼
🎵 Rhymes▼
📚 Etymology▼
From the Latin word 'spontaneus', which comes from 'sponte', meaning 'of one's own will' or 'voluntarily'.
First recorded: 15th century
Cognates (Related words)
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Frequently Asked Questions
Is 'espontáneo' always a good thing?
Usually, yes! It implies being natural and authentic. However, in medical or scientific contexts like 'aborto espontáneo' or 'combustión espontánea,' it simply means something happened on its own without being triggered by an outside person.
Can I use 'espontáneo' to mean 'sudden'?
Close, but not exactly. While spontaneous things are often sudden, 'espontáneo' focuses on the fact that it wasn't planned or forced. If you just want to say 'sudden,' use 'repentino'.
How do you say 'spontaneously'?
You use the adverb 'espontáneamente.' In Spanish, you often create these '-ly' words by taking the feminine form 'espontánea' and adding '-mente' to the end.