natal

nah-TAHL/naˈtal/

“natal” means “native” in Spanish (referring to a place of birth).

native, home

Also: birth-

Adjectivem or fB1

A small, fluffy baby bird sitting comfortably in a round straw nest nestled among green leaves on a tree branch.

📝 In Action

Ella siempre extraña su ciudad natal.

She always misses her hometown.

Regresó a su suelo natal después de diez años.

He returned to his native land after ten years.

El español es su lengua natal.

Spanish is his native language.

Word Connections

Synonyms

materno (maternal/native)
originario (originating from)

Antonyms

extranjero (foreign)

Common Collocations

ciudad natal – hometown
país natal – native country
lengua natal – native language

Translate to Spanish

Words that translate to "natal" in Spanish:

home→native→

✏️ Quick Practice

Quick Quiz: natal

Question 1 of 1

How would you say 'My hometown' in Spanish?

📚 More Resources

👥 Word Family▼

nacer(to be born) — Verb

nacimiento(birth) — Noun

nativo(native) — Adjective

Navidad(Christmas) — Noun

🎵 Rhymes▼

final cristal portal

📚 Etymology▼

From the Latin word 'natalis,' which relates to being born.

First recorded: 13th century

Cognates (Related words)

English: natalFrench: natalPortuguese: natal

💡 Master Spanish

Take your Spanish to the next level. Read 200+ illustrated and narrated Spanish stories tailored to your level with the Inklingo app!

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I use 'natal' to describe a person?

No, 'natal' is used for places (like a city or country) or concepts (like language or land) related to someone's birth. To describe a person, use 'nativo'.

Is 'natal' formal?

It is neutral. It is perfectly fine to use in everyday conversation, though it sounds a bit more polished than just saying 'donde nací' (where I was born).