marcial
“marcial” means “martial” in Spanish. It has 2 different meanings depending on context:
martial
Also: military-like, warlike
📝 In Action
Los soldados caminaban con un paso marcial por la plaza.
B2The soldiers walked with a martial stride through the square.
El gobierno declaró la ley marcial tras las protestas.
B2The government declared martial law after the protests.
Me gusta la música marcial de las bandas de guerra.
C1I like the military-style music of the marching bands.
martial
📝 In Action
El karate es mi arte marcial favorita.
A2Karate is my favorite martial art.
Muchos niños practican artes marciales en la escuela.
A2Many children practice martial arts at school.
Él es un experto en artes marciales mixtas.
B1He is an expert in mixed martial arts.
Translate to Spanish
✏️ Quick Practice
Quick Quiz: marcial
Question 1 of 3
If someone is walking with a 'paso marcial,' how are they walking?
📚 More Resources
👥 Word Family▼
📚 Etymology▼
From the Latin word 'martialis,' which means 'belonging to Mars.' Mars was the Roman god of war, so the word was used for anything soldier-like.
First recorded: 13th century
Cognates (Related words)
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Frequently Asked Questions
Does 'marcial' change for masculine and feminine?
No. Words ending in -al, like 'marcial' or 'final,' use the same form for both masculine and feminine nouns (el desfile marcial / la banda marcial).
What is 'ley marcial'?
It translates to 'martial law.' It's a situation where the military takes control of normal legal functions, usually during an emergency.
Is there a verb form of marcial?
Not directly. If you want to describe the action of making something military-like, you would use 'militarizar' (to militarize).