mundial
/moon-dee-AHL/
global
When used as an adjective, mundial means global or worldwide.
mundial(Adjective)
global
?referring to influence or scope
,worldwide
?covering the entire world
world
?as in 'world record' or 'world market'
📝 In Action
La pandemia tuvo un impacto mundial en la economía.
B1The pandemic had a worldwide impact on the economy.
El calentamiento es un problema mundial que debemos enfrentar.
A2Warming is a global problem that we must face.
Esa empresa tiene presencia mundial.
B2That company has a global presence.
💡 Grammar Points
Adjective Agreement
Since 'mundial' ends in -l, it is one of those helpful adjectives that stays the same whether the noun is masculine or feminine (e.g., 'el problema mundial' and 'la crisis mundial').
Making it Plural
To make it plural, simply add -es: 'mundiales' (e.g., 'eventos mundiales').
❌ Common Pitfalls
Using the wrong ending
Mistake: "La crisis mundiala."
Correction: La crisis mundial. Since 'mundial' already ends in -l, you do not need to add an extra -a for feminine nouns.
⭐ Usage Tips
Common Placement
Like most descriptive adjectives, 'mundial' usually goes after the noun it describes: 'el mercado mundial' (the world market).
As a noun, mundial often refers specifically to the World Cup soccer tournament.
mundial(Noun)
World Cup
?most commonly for football/soccer
World Championship
?any world-level sporting event
📝 In Action
Alemania ha ganado el Mundial varias veces.
B1Germany has won the World Cup several times.
¡Qué emoción ver el Mundial este año!
A2How exciting to watch the World Cup this year!
El próximo Mundial de Baloncesto será en Asia.
B2The next Basketball World Championship will be in Asia.
💡 Grammar Points
A Shortened Noun
When used as a noun, 'Mundial' is short for 'Copa Mundial' (World Cup) or 'Campeonato Mundial' (World Championship). Since people usually refer to the event, they use the adjective as a noun.
Gender Trap
Even though the full phrase 'La Copa Mundial' uses the feminine article 'la', the shortened form 'Mundial' is almost always treated as masculine: 'El Mundial'.
❌ Common Pitfalls
Using the wrong article
Mistake: "Vamos a ver la Mundial."
Correction: Vamos a ver el Mundial. Always use the masculine article 'el' when referring to the tournament itself.
⭐ Usage Tips
Sports Focus
Unless you are talking about a major global event (like a trade summit), using 'El Mundial' almost always refers to the FIFA World Cup (soccer), especially in Latin America and Spain.
✏️ Quick Practice
💡 Quick Quiz: mundial
Question 1 of 2
Which sentence correctly uses 'mundial' as the name of a sporting event?
📚 More Resources
Frequently Asked Questions
Is 'mundial' masculine or feminine?
As an adjective, it is gender-neutral (it stays 'mundial' for both masculine and feminine nouns). As a noun (meaning 'World Cup'), it is masculine: 'El Mundial'.
How is 'mundial' different from 'mundo'?
'Mundo' is the noun meaning 'world.' 'Mundial' is the adjective, meaning 'worldwide' or 'global.' You cannot say 'el mundo problema,' you must say 'el problema mundial.'