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hábito

AH-bee-tohˈa.βi.to

“hábito” means “habit” in Spanish. It has 2 different meanings depending on context:

habit

Also: custom
NounmA1
A happy child standing on a small stool at a bathroom sink, holding a toothbrush and brushing their teeth, illustrating a daily routine.

📝 In Action

Tengo el hábito de revisar mi teléfono al despertar.

A1

I have the habit of checking my phone when I wake up.

Para perder peso, debes cambiar tus malos hábitos alimenticios.

A2

To lose weight, you must change your bad eating habits.

Crear un hábito de estudio constante es clave para el éxito.

B1

Creating a constant study habit is key to success.

Word Connections

Synonyms

Common Collocations

  • adquirir un hábito – to acquire a habit
  • perder el hábito – to lose the habit
  • mal hábito – bad habit

habit

Also: robe
NounmB1
A long, simple brown monastic robe with a rope belt and hood, representing traditional religious clothing.

📝 In Action

El sacerdote se puso su hábito antes de la ceremonia.

B1

The priest put on his habit before the ceremony.

Tomar el hábito es un compromiso de por vida con la fe.

B2

Taking the habit (joining the order) is a lifelong commitment to the faith.

Word Connections

Synonyms

  • vestidura (garment)
  • túnica (tunic)

Common Collocations

  • hábito monástico – monastic habit
  • tomar el hábito – to take the veil/join a religious order

🔀 Commonly Confused With

✏️ Quick Practice

Quick Quiz: hábito

Question 1 of 1

Which sentence uses 'hábito' in the sense of 'clothing'?

📚 More Resources

👥 Word Family▼
habitual(usual, customary) — Adjective
habituarse(to get used to, to become accustomed) — Verb
🎵 Rhymes▼
sábitoámbito
📚 Etymology▼

The word comes directly from the Latin word *habitus*, which originally meant 'condition,' 'state of being,' or 'dress.' This is why Spanish uses it for both a repeated action (a 'state of being') and a religious garment (a specific 'dress').

First recorded: 13th century

Cognates (Related words)

English: habitItalian: abitoPortuguese: hábito

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Frequently Asked Questions

Does 'hábito' mean 'suit' (like a business suit)?

No. Although 'hábito' is related to the English word 'attire,' in modern Spanish, it almost never means a business suit. For a business suit, use 'traje.' 'Hábito' only means a routine or religious clothing.

How do I say 'I got used to it' using a word from the 'hábito' family?

You would use the reflexive verb 'habituarse': 'Me habitué a la comida picante' (I got used to the spicy food).