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municipio

moo-nee-SEE-pyoh/mu.ni.ˈsi.pjo/

“municipio” means “municipality” in Spanish (an administrative area).

municipality

Also: township, local government
NounmB1
MexicoSpain
A colorful town hall building in a sunny town square with a small fountain and green trees.

📝 In Action

Mi municipio es famoso por sus campos de olivos.

A2

My municipality is famous for its olive groves.

El municipio aprobó un nuevo presupuesto para el parque.

B1

The local government approved a new budget for the park.

Cada municipio tiene su propio alcalde y concejales.

B2

Each municipality has its own mayor and council members.

Word Connections

Synonyms

Antonyms

  • nación (nation)

Common Collocations

  • cabecera del municipio – the main town/seat of the municipality
  • policía del municipio – local municipal police
  • dentro del municipio – within the township

Translate to Spanish

Words that translate to "municipio" in Spanish:

local government→municipality→township→

✏️ Quick Practice

Quick Quiz: municipio

Question 1 of 3

What does 'el municipio' usually include?

📚 More Resources

👥 Word Family▼
municipal(local/municipal) — Adjective
municipalidad(municipality/city council) — Noun
municipalizar(to bring under town control) — Verb
🎵 Rhymes▼
📚 Etymology▼

From the Latin 'municipium'. In Ancient Rome, this was a city that had its own government but shared the duties and rights of Roman citizens.

First recorded: 13th century

Cognates (Related words)

English: municipalityPortuguese: município

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Frequently Asked Questions

Is a 'municipio' the same as a 'city'?

Not exactly. A 'ciudad' (city) is the physical urban area with buildings and streets. A 'municipio' is the legal boundary or district that includes that city and everything around it governed by the same local council.

Why do some people say 'alcaldía' instead of 'municipio'?

In some countries like Colombia or Mexico, 'alcaldía' refers to the office or the building of the mayor, while 'municipio' refers to the land area itself.

Can one 'municipio' have several towns?

Yes! A large municipio can contain one main city and several smaller villages (called 'pedanías' in Spain or 'comunidades' in Mexico).