histórico
/ees-TOH-ree-koh/
historical
A castle is a classic example of something historical.
histórico(adjective)
historical
?related to the study of the past
historic
?meaning famous or important in history
📝 In Action
Me encanta visitar el centro histórico de las ciudades.
A2I love visiting the historic center (old town) of cities.
Fue un momento histórico para el deporte.
B1It was a historic moment for the sport.
Estamos leyendo una novela histórica.
A2We are reading a historical novel.
💡 Grammar Points
Matching the Noun
Since this is an adjective, it needs to change its ending to match the word it describes. Use 'histórico' for masculine words (el libro histórico) and 'histórica' for feminine words (la ciudad histórica).
❌ Common Pitfalls
Two English words, one Spanish word
Mistake: "Trying to find different words for 'historic' and 'historical'."
Correction: In Spanish, 'histórico' covers both meanings: something related to history and something very important.
⭐ Usage Tips
Describing Old Towns
When you want to say 'downtown' in an old European or Latin American city, use the phrase 'centro histórico' instead of just 'centro'.
A collection of old books can represent a historical record of the past.
📝 In Action
Puedes ver el histórico de precios en esta gráfica.
B2You can see the price history on this graph.
El sistema guarda un histórico de todos los cambios.
C1The system keeps a historical record of all changes.
💡 Grammar Points
Using it as a noun
When used as a noun, it almost always uses the 'el' (masculine) article and refers to a collection of data or events over time.
❌ Common Pitfalls
Don't confuse with 'historia'
Mistake: "Using 'histórico' to mean a story you tell someone."
Correction: Use 'historia' for a story or the general subject of history. Use 'histórico' as a noun only for data logs or records.
✏️ Quick Practice
💡 Quick Quiz: histórico
Question 1 of 2
Which phrase would you use to describe the 'Old Town' part of a Spanish city?
📚 More Resources
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the difference between 'historia' and 'histórico'?
'Historia' is a noun meaning the subject of history or a story. 'Histórico' is an adjective used to describe things related to history (like a building or a book).
Can I use 'histórico' to mean a person's medical history?
Not usually. For medical or criminal records, the word 'historial' is much more common than 'histórico'.