nacional
“nacional” means “national” in Spanish. It has 2 different meanings depending on context:
national, federal
Also: domestic
📝 In Action
La selección nacional ganó el partido.
A1The national team won the game.
El himno nacional es muy emotivo.
A2The national anthem is very moving.
Necesitamos un debate nacional sobre la educación.
B1We need a national debate about education.
national, national team member
Also: domestic product
📝 In Action
El hotel está reservado solo para nacionales en esta época.
B1The hotel is reserved only for nationals (citizens) during this time.
Es una de las nacionales más talentosas del equipo.
B2She is one of the most talented national team members.
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✏️ Quick Practice
Quick Quiz: nacional
Question 1 of 2
Which sentence correctly uses 'nacional' as an adjective?
📚 More Resources
👥 Word Family▼
📚 Etymology▼
Comes directly from the late Latin word *nationalis*, which was formed by combining the Latin word *natio* (meaning 'birth' or 'tribe') with the common adjective ending -*alis*.
First recorded: 15th century
Cognates (Related words)
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Frequently Asked Questions
How is 'nacional' different from 'nacionalidad'?
'Nacional' is usually an adjective describing something related to the country (like 'national sport'). 'Nacionalidad' is a noun that means your citizenship or the country you belong to (e.g., 'What is your nationality?').
Can I use 'nacional' to describe myself?
Yes, but usually only in official contexts. In casual conversation, you would use the specific demonym (like 'Soy colombiano' or 'Soy español') rather than saying 'Soy nacional'.