oriente
/oh-ree-EHN-teh/
east
The East, or 'oriente', is traditionally symbolized by the rising sun.
oriente(noun)
east
?cardinal direction
,Orient
?regional name (often capitalized)
Levant
?historical regional name
,eastern part
?of a country or region
📝 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.
💡 Grammar Points
Masculine Direction
All four cardinal directions (oriente, occidente, norte, sur) are masculine nouns in Spanish, so they use 'el'.
❌ Common Pitfalls
Mixing Oriente and Este
Mistake: "Using 'Este' (which means 'this') when referring to the direction in more formal or literary contexts."
Correction: 'Oriente' is often preferred over 'este' in formal writing or when referring to the region (The Orient). Both are correct for the direction 'east'.
⭐ Usage Tips
Capitalization
Capitalize 'Oriente' when referring to the historical region (The Orient), but use lowercase when referring to the simple direction.
As a formal command, 'oriente' means to guide or direct someone.
oriente(verb)
guide
?formal command (usted)
,direct
?present subjunctive (that I/he/she/it guide)
face
?present subjunctive (that it 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)
💡 Grammar Points
The '-AR' Subjunctive
Since orientar is an -AR verb, its present subjunctive forms (like oriente) use the opposite vowel ('E') compared to the indicative 'A' forms.
⭐ Usage Tips
Formal Commands
'Oriente' is the formal 'usted' command. If you were speaking to a friend, you would use 'orienta'.
🔄 Conjugations
indicative
present
imperfect
preterite
subjunctive
present
imperfect
✏️ Quick Practice
💡 Quick Quiz: oriente
Question 1 of 1
Which sentence uses 'oriente' as a noun referring to a geographical direction?
📚 More Resources
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'.