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indispensable

een-dees-pen-SAH-blehindispenˈsaβle

“indispensable” means “essential” in Spanish (something you absolutely cannot do without).

essential

Also: indispensable, vital
Adjectivem or fB1
A simple storybook illustration of a single glass of water on a small wooden table, representing a basic necessity.

📝 In Action

El agua es indispensable para la vida.

A1

Water is essential for life.

Tu ayuda fue indispensable para terminar el proyecto.

B1

Your help was indispensable to finish the project.

En este trabajo, saber inglés se ha vuelto indispensable.

B2

In this job, knowing English has become essential.

Word Connections

Synonyms

Antonyms

  • prescindible (dispensable/unnecessary)
  • innecesario (unnecessary)

Common Collocations

  • requisito indispensable – essential requirement
  • herramienta indispensable – essential tool
  • ser indispensable – to be indispensable

Translate to Spanish

Words that translate to "indispensable" in Spanish:

essential→indispensable→vital→

✏️ Quick Practice

Quick Quiz: indispensable

Question 1 of 3

Which of these is the most likely 'requisito indispensable' for a pilot?

📚 More Resources

👥 Word Family▼
dispensar(to excuse or dispense) — Verb
indispensabilidad(indispensability) — Noun
dispensable(unnecessary) — Adjective
🎵 Rhymes▼
📚 Etymology▼

From the Latin prefix 'in-' (not) combined with 'dispensabilis' (something that can be given away). It originally described something so important it couldn't be granted as an exemption or set aside.

First recorded: 15th century

Cognates (Related words)

French: indispensablePortuguese: indispensável

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Frequently Asked Questions

Does 'indispensable' have a feminine form like 'indispensabla'?

No. In Spanish, adjectives ending in -e are the same for both masculine and feminine nouns. 'El profesor indispensable' and 'la profesora indispensable' are both correct.

What is the difference between 'necesario' and 'indispensable'?

'Necesario' means something is needed, while 'indispensable' is much stronger—it means something is absolutely vital and cannot be replaced or left out.

Can I use 'indispensable' to describe a person?

Yes! You can say 'Ella es indispensable en mi equipo' (She is indispensable to my team) to show that her presence is vital.