Inklingo
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romance

/roh-MAHN-seh/

romance

A simple illustration of two figures holding hands, silhouetted against a warm, setting sun, symbolizing a loving relationship.

In its most common usage, romance refers to a love affair or relationship.

romance(noun)

mB1

romance

?

a love affair or relationship

,

love affair

?

often implying a short or secret relationship

Also:

relationship

?

as in a romantic relationship

📝 In Action

Su romance con el actor fue breve pero intenso.

B1

Her romance with the actor was brief but intense.

Me encanta leer novelas de romance histórico.

A2

I love reading historical romance novels.

Querían mantener su romance en secreto para evitar a la prensa.

B2

They wanted to keep their relationship secret to avoid the press.

Word Connections

Synonyms

  • noviazgo (engagement/courtship)
  • amorío (affair)

Common Collocations

  • un romance fugaz – a fleeting romance
  • vivir un romance – to have a romance

💡 Grammar Points

Always Masculine

Even though 'el romance' refers to love, which can be shared by men and women, the word itself is always masculine: 'el romance'.

❌ Common Pitfalls

Confusing Gender

Mistake: "La romance."

Correction: El romance. Remember the word ends in '-ce', which often signals masculine nouns.

⭐ Usage Tips

Expressing the feeling

If you want to talk about the feeling of being romantic or the quality of romance in a setting, you might use 'romanticismo' or the adjective 'romántico' instead.

A simplified illustration showing a central, ancient stone column base with three distinct, colorful flowing lines emanating from it, representing the derivation of Romance languages from a common ancestor.

In linguistics, romance refers to the family of Romance languages, all descended from Vulgar Latin.

romance(noun)

mC1

Romance language

?

linguistics

Also:

language family

?

referring to languages derived from Latin

📝 In Action

El francés y el italiano son lenguas de romance.

C1

French and Italian are Romance languages.

El latín vulgar es el origen común de las lenguas de romance.

C2

Vulgar Latin is the common origin of the Romance languages.

Word Connections

Synonyms

  • lengua neolatina (Neo-Latin language)

Common Collocations

  • lengua de romance – Romance language

💡 Grammar Points

Referring to the group

When talking about the language group, Spanish often uses the phrase 'lenguas de romance' (Romance languages).

A simple illustration of a person sitting by a small campfire, holding a lute and singing a dramatic story, representing a traditional narrative poem.

Romance can also mean a traditional Spanish narrative poem or ballad.

romance(noun)

mC2

ballad

?

a traditional Spanish narrative poem

Also:

romance (poetry)

?

a specific type of Spanish verse form

📝 In Action

Analizamos un romance anónimo del siglo XV en clase.

C2

We analyzed an anonymous ballad from the 15th century in class.

El romance es una composición poética de versos octosílabos.

C2

The ballad is a poetic composition of eight-syllable verses.

Word Connections

Synonyms

💡 Grammar Points

Literary Context

In literary studies, 'romance' specifically refers to a very old Spanish poetic form, usually telling a story.

✏️ Quick Practice

💡 Quick Quiz: romance

Question 1 of 2

Which sentence uses 'romance' in its most common, everyday meaning?

📚 More Resources

Word Family

romántico(romantic) - adjective
romanticismo(romanticism) - noun

Frequently Asked Questions

Is 'romance' the same as 'amor'?

Not exactly. 'Amor' (love) is the general feeling. 'Romance' specifically refers to the relationship or love affair itself, often implying a narrative or a period of time (like 'a summer romance').

If I want to say something is 'romantic', do I use 'romance'?

No, you should use the adjective 'romántico/a'. For example, 'una cena romántica' (a romantic dinner). 'Romance' is the noun (the relationship or the literary form).