mensaje
“mensaje” means “message” in Spanish. It has 2 different meanings depending on context:
message
Also: text, note
📝 In Action
Te envié un mensaje esta mañana. ¿Lo viste?
A1I sent you a message this morning. Did you see it?
Por favor, déjale un mensaje a tu hermana de mi parte.
A2Please, leave a message for your sister from me.
Recibí un mensaje de voz de un número desconocido.
B1I received a voicemail message from an unknown number.
moral
Also: point, takeaway
📝 In Action
El mensaje de la película es que nunca debes rendirte.
B1The moral of the movie is that you should never give up.
El director quería transmitir un mensaje de esperanza con su obra.
B2The director wanted to convey a message of hope with his work.
¿Cuál crees que es el mensaje oculto en la novela?
B2What do you think is the hidden message in the novel?
Translate to Spanish
✏️ Quick Practice
Quick Quiz: mensaje
Question 1 of 1
In the sentence, 'El mensaje principal del libro es sobre el perdón,' what does 'mensaje' mean?
📚 More Resources
👥 Word Family▼
📚 Etymology▼
Comes from the old French and Provençal word 'messatge', which itself comes from the Latin 'missus', meaning 'sent'. It's a direct relative of the English word 'message' and is also related to 'mission'—something that is sent.
First recorded: Around the 12th century
Cognates (Related words)
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Frequently Asked Questions
Is 'mensaje' always masculine? I thought words ending in 'e' could be feminine.
Yes, it is always masculine: 'el mensaje'. While many words ending in '-e' can be tricky, there's a great rule of thumb for this one: almost all Spanish nouns ending in '-aje' are masculine. Think of 'el viaje' (the trip) or 'el garaje' (the garage).
What's the real difference between 'mensaje' and 'recado'?
'Mensaje' is the most general word for any kind of message (text, voice, note). 'Recado' is often used more specifically for a message you leave when someone isn't available, or it can also mean an 'errand'. When in doubt, 'mensaje' is almost always the right choice.