público
“público” means “public” in Spanish. It has 2 different meanings depending on context:
public
Also: state-owned, open to all
📝 In Action
El transporte público es muy eficiente aquí.
A2The public transportation is very efficient here.
Es un parque público, así que todos pueden entrar.
A2It's a public park, so everyone can enter.
La salud pública es una prioridad para el gobierno.
B1Public health is a priority for the government.
audience
Also: the public
📝 In Action
El público aplaudió durante cinco minutos.
B1The audience applauded for five minutes.
La película no fue bien recibida por el público.
B1The movie was not well-received by the public.
El artista interactuó mucho con su público.
B2The artist interacted a lot with his audience.
Translate to Spanish
Words that translate to "público" in Spanish:
state-owned→✏️ Quick Practice
Quick Quiz: público
Question 1 of 2
Which sentence uses 'público' to mean 'audience'?
📚 More Resources
👥 Word Family▼
🎵 Rhymes▼
📚 Etymology▼
Comes directly from the Latin word 'publicus', which meant 'of the people' or 'belonging to the state'. It's related to the Latin word 'populus', which means 'people'.
First recorded: 13th century
Cognates (Related words)
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Frequently Asked Questions
What's the difference between 'público' and 'gente'?
'Público' often refers to a specific group, like an audience at a concert, or the general population in an official sense (the public). 'Gente' is a more general, everyday word for 'people'.
Is there a feminine form, 'pública', when it's a noun?
No. When it means 'audience' or 'the public', it's always the masculine noun 'el público', even if the group is all women. The form 'pública' is only used when it's an adjective describing a feminine noun, like 'la opinión pública' (public opinion).