A simple storybook illustration of a solitary figure sitting quietly, holding a pen poised over an open notebook, symbolizing a poet preparing to write.

poeta

po-EH-tah

nounmA1

poet?person who writes poetry

Also:bard?literary/historical term for a poet

📝 In Action

Mi abuelo era un poeta muy famoso en su pueblo.

My grandfather was a very famous poet in his town.

Ella es una gran poeta de la generación joven.

She is a great poet of the young generation.

El poeta leyó su nuevo poema en voz alta.

The poet read his new poem out loud.

Word Connections

Synonyms

escritor (writer)
versificador (versifier)

Common Collocations

poeta laureado – poet laureate
poeta romántico – Romantic poet

💡 Grammar Points

Gender Flexibility

Even though 'poeta' ends in '-a', it can refer to both men (el poeta) and women (la poeta). The article (el/la) tells you the person's gender.

Plural Form

To make 'poeta' plural, you simply add an '-s': 'los poetas' (the poets).

❌ Common Pitfalls

Confusing Gender for Women

Mistake: "La poeta es talentoso."

Correction: La poeta es talentosa. (Remember, if the person is female, any adjectives describing her must also be feminine.)

⭐ Usage Tips

Choosing the Article

Always match the article to the person's actual sex: 'el poeta' for a man, 'la poeta' for a woman. This is clearer and more common than using the alternate word 'poetisa'.

✏️ Quick Practice

💡 Quick Quiz: poeta

Question 1 of 1

If you are talking about a female writer of verses, which sentence is correct?

📚 More Resources

Word Family

poesía(poetry) - noun

poético(poetic) - adjective

poema(poem) - noun

Frequently Asked Questions

Is 'poetisa' an acceptable word for a female poet?

Yes, 'poetisa' is grammatically correct and means a female poet. However, 'poeta' is the preferred, gender-neutral term used for both men and women in modern Spanish, often simply changing the article to 'la poeta'.