protagonista
“protagonista” means “main character” in Spanish. It has 2 different meanings depending on context:
main character
Also: protagonist, key player
📝 In Action
El protagonista de la película es muy valiente.
A1The main character of the movie is very brave.
Ella es la protagonista de mi novela favorita.
A2She is the main character of my favorite novel.
En esta huelga, los estudiantes han sido los protagonistas.
B2In this strike, the students have been the key players.
leading
Also: starring
📝 In Action
Consiguió un papel protagonista en la serie.
B1He got a leading role in the series.
Esa empresa tiene un lugar protagonista en el mercado.
B2That company has a leading place in the market.
La actriz protagonista no vino al estreno.
B1The lead actress didn't come to the premiere.
Translate to Spanish
Words that translate to "protagonista" in Spanish:
key player→leading→main character→protagonist→starring→✏️ Quick Practice
Quick Quiz: protagonista
Question 1 of 3
How do you say 'The main character (male)' in Spanish?
📚 More Resources
📚 Etymology▼
From Ancient Greek 'prōtagōnistēs'. 'Prōtos' means 'first' and 'agōnistēs' means 'actor' or 'competitor'. It literally means the 'first actor'.
First recorded: 18th century
Cognates (Related words)
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Frequently Asked Questions
Does 'protagonista' change to 'protagonisto'?
No. Words ending in -ista, like dentista, artista, and protagonista, always end in 'a' regardless of the person's gender.
Can I use this for real people?
Yes! In Spanish, it's very common to use it for someone who is the most important person in a news story, a sports match, or a social event.
What is the plural of protagonista?
The plural is 'protagonistas'. It follows the normal rule of adding an 's' to words ending in a vowel.