Inklingo

portal

poor-TAHLpoɾˈtal

portal means main entrance in Spanish. It has 2 different meanings depending on context:

main entrance, doorway

Also: lobby, gate
NounmA2
Spain
A colorful storybook illustration of a large, inviting main entrance to a building, featuring a heavy wooden door framed by a stone archway.

📝 In Action

El portal de la iglesia estaba decorado con flores.

A2

The main entrance of the church was decorated with flowers.

Esperamos en el portal hasta que llegó la vecina.

B1

We waited in the lobby until the neighbor arrived.

Es un portal antiguo con mucha historia.

B1

It is an old doorway with a lot of history.

Word Connections

Synonyms

  • entrada (entrance)
  • zaguán (hallway/vestibule)

Common Collocations

  • el portal de Belénthe Nativity scene (the stable)
  • el portal de la casathe house entrance

web portal, website

Also: gateway
NounmB1
A high quality storybook illustration showing a bright, glowing blue circular archway floating against a dark background, symbolizing a digital gateway or web portal.

📝 In Action

Accede al portal del gobierno para hacer tus trámites.

B1

Access the government's web portal to do your paperwork.

Nuestro portal de clientes tiene toda la información necesaria.

B2

Our client portal has all the necessary information.

Word Connections

Synonyms

  • sitio web (website)
  • página (page)

Common Collocations

  • portal educativoeducational portal
  • portal de empleojob portal

Translate to Spanish

✏️ Quick Practice

Quick Quiz: portal

Question 1 of 1

Which sentence uses 'portal' in its digital context?

📚 More Resources

👥 Word Family
portón(large gate/carriage gate)Noun
porta(carry (verb form or prefix for 'door'))Verb /
🎵 Rhymes
📚 Etymology

Comes directly from the Late Latin word *portāle*, which means 'pertaining to a gate' or 'gatehouse'. It is based on the Latin word *porta* (door/gate).

First recorded: 13th century

Cognates (Related words)

English: portalFrench: portail

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Frequently Asked Questions

¿Es 'portal' una palabra masculina o femenina?

'Portal' es siempre masculino. Aunque termina en -al, siempre decimos 'el portal', no 'la portal'. This is a common pattern for nouns referring to places or objects.

Does 'portal' only refer to the internet?

No. While it is very common on the internet (web portal), its original meaning is a physical doorway, especially a grand or important one, like the entrance to a cathedral or the lobby of an apartment building.