Inklingo
Dictionary

lugar

loo-GARluˈɡaɾ

“lugar” means “place” in Spanish. It has 4 different meanings depending on context:

placeA1Noun

general location

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spaceA2Noun

available area

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positionB1Noun

in a ranking or sequence

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reasonB2Noun

grounds or cause

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place, locationAlso: spot

NounmA1
A colorful map with a red pin marking a specific location, representing a place.

📝 In Action

Este es un buen lugar para un pícnic.

A1

This is a good place for a picnic.

¿Cuál es tu lugar favorito en la ciudad?

A1

What is your favorite place in the city?

Busco un lugar tranquilo para leer.

A2

I'm looking for a quiet place to read.

Word Connections

Synonyms

  • sitio (site, place)
  • localización (location)
  • paraje (spot, place (often rural))

Common Collocations

  • en primer lugar – in the first place, firstly
  • en ningún lugar – nowhere
  • en cualquier lugar – anywhere
  • tener lugar – to take place, to happen

Idioms & Expressions

  • poner a alguien en su lugar – To put someone in their place, to tell someone off who is being arrogant or out of line.

space, roomAlso: seat

NounmA2
A person trying to fit one more bag into a car that is already completely full, illustrating the concept of available space.

📝 In Action

¿Hay lugar para una persona más en el coche?

A2

Is there room for one more person in the car?

Hazme un lugar en el sofá, por favor.

A2

Make some room for me on the sofa, please.

No tengo lugar en mi agenda esta semana.

B1

I don't have space/room in my schedule this week.

Word Connections

Synonyms

Common Collocations

  • hacer lugar – to make room/space
  • no hay lugar – there is no room/space

position, rankAlso: place

NounmB1
A winner's podium with medals for first, second, and third place, symbolizing position or rank.

📝 In Action

Ella obtuvo el primer lugar en la competencia.

B1

She got first place in the competition.

En la lista de espera, ocupo el décimo lugar.

B1

On the waiting list, I hold the tenth position.

El equipo descendió al último lugar de la tabla.

B2

The team dropped to the last place in the standings.

Word Connections

Synonyms

  • puesto (position, post)
  • posición (position)

Common Collocations

  • primer lugar – first place
  • segundo lugar – second place
  • último lugar – last place

reason, causeAlso: occasion, room (for)

NounmB2formal
A single domino falling and starting a chain reaction with other dominoes, representing a cause or reason.

📝 In Action

Su comportamiento dio lugar a muchas quejas.

B2

His behavior gave rise to many complaints.

No hay lugar a dudas de que es la mejor opción.

B2

There is no room for doubt that it is the best option.

Ese malentendido puede dar lugar a problemas serios.

C1

That misunderstanding can lead to serious problems.

Word Connections

Synonyms

  • motivo (motive, reason)
  • causa (cause)
  • ocasión (occasion)

Common Collocations

  • dar lugar a – to give rise to, to lead to, to cause
  • no haber lugar a – to be no room for
  • en lugar de – instead of

🔀 Commonly Confused With

Often confused with sitionear-synonyms

Translate to Spanish

Words that translate to "lugar" in Spanish:

causelocationoccasionplacepositionrankreasonroom

✏️ Quick Practice

Quick Quiz: lugar

Question 1 of 1

Which sentence uses 'lugar' to mean a position or rank?

📚 More Resources

👥 Word Family
lugareño(local, native (person)) — Noun / Adjective
desalojar(to evict, to vacate) — Verb
colocar(to place, to put) — Verb
🎵 Rhymes
marcantarhablarpopular
📚 Etymology

The word 'lugar' comes from Old Spanish 'logar', which itself came from the Latin word 'locus', meaning 'place'. Many English words like 'location', 'local', and 'allocate' share this same Latin root.

First recorded: Around the 10th century

Cognates (Related words)

Portuguese: lugarItalian: luogoFrench: lieuCatalan: lloc

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Frequently Asked Questions

What's the difference between 'lugar', 'sitio', and 'espacio'?

Great question! 'Lugar' and 'sitio' are often interchangeable for a general 'place'. 'Lugar' is a bit more common and broader. 'Espacio' specifically means 'space'—either the physical area around you or outer space. You'd use 'espacio' to talk about needing more room to work, but 'lugar' or 'sitio' to talk about a nice place for a restaurant.

How do I say 'to take place' in Spanish?

You use the phrase 'tener lugar'. For example, 'La reunión tendrá lugar en la oficina' means 'The meeting will take place in the office'. It's a very common and useful expression!