mundo
“mundo” means “world” in Spanish. It has 3 different meanings depending on context:
world
Also: earth
📝 In Action
El mundo es un lugar hermoso.
A1The world is a beautiful place.
Quiero viajar por todo el mundo.
A2I want to travel all over the world.
La Copa del Mundo es un evento muy popular.
B1The World Cup is a very popular event.
world
Also: people
📝 In Action
Hay mucha gente buena en el mundo.
B1There are a lot of good people in the world.
Todo el mundo piensa que es una buena idea.
A2Everybody thinks it's a good idea.
Vino un mundo de gente a la manifestación.
B2A ton of people came to the protest.
world
Also: field, realm
📝 In Action
El mundo de la moda cambia constantemente.
B2The world of fashion is constantly changing.
Ella es una experta en el mundo de las finanzas.
C1She is an expert in the world of finance.
Es difícil entrar en el mundo del cine.
B2It's difficult to get into the film world.
Vocabulary Collections
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✏️ Quick Practice
Quick Quiz: mundo
Question 1 of 2
Which sentence uses 'mundo' to mean 'everyone'?
📚 More Resources
👥 Word Family▼
📚 Etymology▼
Comes from the Latin word 'mundus', which meant 'world' or 'universe'. Interestingly, 'mundus' also meant 'clean' or 'elegant', reflecting an ancient view of the cosmos as an orderly and beautiful system.
First recorded: Used since the earliest forms of Spanish.
Cognates (Related words)
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Frequently Asked Questions
What's the difference between 'mundo' and 'tierra'?
Great question! 'Mundo' usually refers to the world in a broader, more abstract sense—including its people, cultures, and societies. 'Tierra' is more specific: it means the planet Earth itself (the physical globe) or the ground/soil beneath our feet. So you travel 'por el mundo' (around the world) but a spaceship returns to 'la Tierra' (Earth).
Can I say 'todos' instead of 'todo el mundo' for 'everyone'?
Yes, you can, but they have slightly different feelings. 'Todo el mundo' is very common and feels like 'everybody' in English. 'Todos' (or 'todas' for a group of all women) can sometimes feel a bit more direct or specific to a particular group you're talking about, like saying 'all of you'. For a general 'everybody', 'todo el mundo' is a safe and natural choice.