oriente
“oriente” means “east” in Spanish. It has 2 different meanings depending on context:
east, OrientAlso: Levant, eastern part
📝 In Action
El sol siempre sale por el oriente.
A2The sun always rises in the east.
Mi casa está al oriente de la ciudad.
B1My house is to the east of the city.
Estudiamos la historia del Lejano Oriente.
B2We are studying the history of the Far East.
Word Connections
guide, directAlso: face
📝 In Action
Espero que me oriente para encontrar el museo.
B2I hope that he/she guides me to find the museum.
Oriente la antena hacia el sur.
B2Direct the antenna toward the south. (Formal command)
Word Connections
Indicative
Present
Imperfect
Preterite
Subjunctive
Present Subjunctive
Imperfect Subjunctive
Vocabulary Collections
Translate to Spanish
✏️ Quick Practice
Quick Quiz: oriente
Question 1 of 1
Which sentence uses 'oriente' as a noun referring to a geographical direction?
📚 More Resources
👥 Word Family
🎵 Rhymes
📚 Etymology
The word comes directly from the Latin *oriēns*, which literally means 'rising' or 'the rising place.' This refers to the side of the world where the sun rises.
First recorded: 13th century
Cognates (Related words)
💡 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
What is the difference between 'oriente' and 'este'?
Both mean 'east.' 'Este' is the common, everyday word for the direction. 'Oriente' is generally used in more formal, literary, or geographical contexts, especially when referring to the eastern region of a country or the historical 'Orient'.