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historias

ees-TOH-ryahs/isˈtoɾjas/

“historias” means “stories” in Spanish. It has 2 different meanings depending on context:

stories

Also: accounts, histories
NounfA1
A child sitting and reading a book, with small, imaginary story characters floating out of the open pages.

📝 In Action

Leemos muchas historias de fantasía antes de dormir.

A1

We read many fantasy stories before bed.

Las historias de mis abuelos son fascinantes; vivieron muchos cambios.

A2

My grandparents' stories are fascinating; they lived through many changes.

Hay muchas historias diferentes sobre cómo empezó la guerra civil.

B1

There are many different accounts about how the civil war started.

Word Connections

Synonyms

  • cuentos (tales, short stories)
  • relatos (narratives)

Common Collocations

  • contar historias – to tell stories
  • libros de historias – storybooks

drama, Stories

Also: nonsense
NounfB2informal
Spain
A frustrated person looking at a huge, complex knot of brightly colored, tangled rope.

📝 In Action

¿Viste las historias que subió Marta hoy? Estuvo de viaje.

B1

Did you see the Stories Marta uploaded today? She was traveling.

Déjame de historias, dime la verdad de lo que pasó.

B2

Stop with the drama (or excuses), tell me the truth about what happened.

Word Connections

Synonyms

  • rollos (nonsense, fuss (Spain informal))
  • chismes (gossip)

Common Collocations

  • subir historias – to upload Stories (social media)
  • tener muchas historias – to have a lot of personal drama/complications

Idioms & Expressions

  • ¡Déjate de historias! – Stop the nonsense/excuses/drama!

Translate to Spanish

Words that translate to "historias" in Spanish:

accounts→drama→histories→nonsense→stories→

✏️ Quick Practice

Quick Quiz: historias

Question 1 of 2

Which sentence correctly uses 'historias' to mean 'personal complications or troubles'?

📚 More Resources

👥 Word Family▼
historia(story, history) — Noun
histórico(historic, historical) — Adjective
historiador(historian) — Noun
🎵 Rhymes▼
gloriasmemorias
📚 Etymology▼

Comes directly from the Latin word *historia*, which meant 'inquiry,' 'knowledge gained by investigation,' or 'narrative.' This is why the Spanish word covers both factual history and fictional stories.

First recorded: Appeared in Spanish as *estoria* during the 13th century.

Cognates (Related words)

English: storiesFrench: histoiresPortuguese: histórias

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Frequently Asked Questions

If 'historia' means both 'story' and 'history,' how do I know which one is meant when using 'historias'?

In the plural, 'historias' almost always refers to *stories* or *tales* (either fictional narratives or multiple personal accounts). If you mean the academic subject 'history,' you almost always use the singular, 'historia,' even when talking about studying it over years.

Is it okay to use 'historias' to talk about social media posts?

Absolutely! Using 'historias' to refer to temporary posts on platforms like Instagram is very common and completely natural in modern Spanish conversation.