metrópoli
“metrópoli” means “metropolis” in Spanish. It has 2 different meanings depending on context:
metropolis
Also: large city
📝 In Action
Tokio es una metrópoli fascinante con millones de habitantes.
B1Tokyo is a fascinating metropolis with millions of inhabitants.
Vivir en la metrópoli ofrece muchas oportunidades laborales.
B2Living in the metropolis offers many job opportunities.
El transporte público es esencial en una gran metrópoli.
A2Public transportation is essential in a large metropolis.
mother city
Also: parent state
📝 In Action
Las noticias tardaban meses en llegar desde la metrópoli a las colonias.
C1News took months to arrive from the mother city to the colonies.
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✏️ Quick Practice
Quick Quiz: metrópoli
Question 1 of 3
What is the gender of 'metrópoli'?
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👥 Word Family▼
🎵 Rhymes▼
📚 Etymology▼
From Ancient Greek 'mētropolis', which literally means 'mother city' (mētēr 'mother' + polis 'city').
First recorded: 15th century
Cognates (Related words)
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Frequently Asked Questions
Does 'metrópoli' always have an accent?
Yes, it has a written accent on the 'o' because the stress falls on the third-to-last syllable.
Is 'metrópoli' the same as 'ciudad'?
Not quite. While all metropolises are cities, not all cities are metropolises. A 'metrópoli' is much larger and usually has more political and economic power.
Why is the plural 'metrópolis'?
Spanish words ending in stressed vowels or specific consonants follow different plural rules, but this one simply adopts the 's' which is consistent with its Greek origins.