Inklingo

mike

mai-ke/ˈmai.ke/

mike means mic / mike in Spanish (short for microphone).

mic / mike

Also: microphone
NounmB1informal
General
A simple, classic black handheld microphone resting on a solid background.

📝 In Action

Pásame el mike, por favor, que no se oye nada.

B1

Pass me the mic, please, you can't hear anything.

El cantante se acercó al mike y empezó la canción.

B1

The singer approached the mike and started the song.

Habla más cerca del mike para que te escuchen.

B2

Speak closer to the mic so they can hear you.

Word Connections

Synonyms

  • micrófono (microphone)

Common Collocations

  • abrir el miketo open the mic (turn it on)
  • cerrar el miketo close the mic (turn it off)

Translate to Spanish

Words that translate to "mike" in Spanish:

microphone

✏️ Quick Practice

Quick Quiz: mike

Question 1 of 1

In which situation would you be most likely to hear someone say 'el mike' instead of 'el micrófono'?

📚 More Resources

👥 Word Family
micrófono(microphone)Noun
🎵 Rhymes
piquedique
📚 Etymology

This is a direct borrowing, or 'loanword,' from the English word 'mike,' which itself is a shortened, informal version of 'microphone.' It keeps the English pronunciation.

First recorded: Late 20th century

Cognates (Related words)

English: mikeFrench: micro

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Frequently Asked Questions

Is 'mike' a real Spanish word?

Yes and no. It's not a native Spanish word, but it's a very common 'anglicismo' (a word borrowed from English) that is widely understood, especially in contexts like music, radio, and podcasting. The 'correct' or formal Spanish word is 'micrófono'.

How do I make 'mike' plural?

Since it's an English loanword that ends in a vowel sound, you just add '-s'. For example, 'Necesitamos dos mikes para las guitarras' (We need two mics for the guitars).