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nocturna

nok-TOOR-nah/nokˈtuɾna/

“nocturna” means “night” in Spanish. It has 2 different meanings depending on context:

night, nightly

Also: nocturnal
A peaceful landscape at night with a large glowing moon and twinkling stars over a quiet forest.

📝 In Action

Me encanta la vida nocturna de esta ciudad.

A2

I love the nightlife of this city.

La lechuza es una ave nocturna.

B1

The owl is a nocturnal bird.

Hicimos una caminata nocturna por el bosque.

B1

We went on a night hike through the forest.

Word Connections

Synonyms

  • de la noche (of the night)

Antonyms

  • diurna (daytime/diurnal)

Common Collocations

  • vida nocturna – nightlife
  • visión nocturna – night vision
  • tarifa nocturna – night rate/price

night shift

Also: night session
NounfB2
Latin America
A brightly lit office building standing tall against a dark night sky, showing people working late.

📝 In Action

Como trabajo de día, tengo que estudiar en la nocturna.

B2

Since I work during the day, I have to study in the night shift (night school).

La nocturna tiene menos alumnos que el turno de la mañana.

B2

The night session has fewer students than the morning shift.

Word Connections

Synonyms

  • turno de noche (night shift)

Common Collocations

  • escuela nocturna – night school

Translate to Spanish

Words that translate to "nocturna" in Spanish:

night session→night shift→nightly→

✏️ Quick Practice

Quick Quiz: nocturna

Question 1 of 2

Which of these phrases is correct if you want to say 'nightlife'?

📚 More Resources

👥 Word Family▼
noche(night) — Noun
nocturno(nightly/nocturnal (masculine)) — Adjective
trasnochar(to stay up late) — Verb
anochecer(to get dark/dusk) — Verb
🎵 Rhymes▼
diurnaurnataciturna
📚 Etymology▼

From the Latin word 'nocturnus' (belonging to the night), which comes from 'nox' (night).

First recorded: 13th century

Cognates (Related words)

English: nocturnalFrench: nocturneItalian: notturna

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Frequently Asked Questions

What is the difference between 'nocturna' and 'de la noche'?

'De la noche' is very literal (of the night). 'Nocturna' is a bit more formal and is used for specific concepts like 'nightlife' or 'nocturnal animals'.

Can I use 'nocturna' to describe a man who stays up late?

No, you would use 'nocturno' for a man, or more commonly the word 'trasnochador'.