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urbano

oor-BAH-noh/uɾˈβano/

“urbano” means “urban” in Spanish. It has 2 different meanings depending on context:

urban

Also: city-based
Spain
A bustling city street with tall buildings and a sidewalk.

📝 In Action

El transporte urbano es muy rápido en esta capital.

A2

Urban transport is very fast in this capital city.

Prefiero el arte urbano que los museos tradicionales.

B1

I prefer street art over traditional museums.

Muchos jóvenes abandonan el campo por el centro urbano.

B2

Many young people leave the countryside for the urban center.

Word Connections

Synonyms

  • metropolitano (metropolitan)
  • citadino (city-dweller/of the city)

Antonyms

  • rural (rural)
  • rústico (rustic/countryside)

Common Collocations

  • transporte urbano – city public transport
  • arte urbano – street art
  • casco urbano – town center / historical urban area

urbane

Also: courteous
AdjectivemC1formal
A well-dressed person in a suit holding a small cup of tea with a polite expression.

📝 In Action

Siempre mantiene un trato urbano y respetuoso con todos.

C1

He always maintains a courteous and respectful manner with everyone.

Word Connections

Synonyms

Antonyms

  • maleducado (rude)
  • tosco (rough/coarse)

Common Collocations

  • trato urbano – polite treatment

Translate to Spanish

Words that translate to "urbano" in Spanish:

city-based→courteous→urban→urbane→

✏️ Quick Practice

Quick Quiz: urbano

Question 1 of 3

Which of these is the opposite of 'urbano' when describing a location?

📚 More Resources

👥 Word Family▼
urbanismo(city planning) — Noun
urbanización(housing development) — Noun
urbanizar(to develop or build up an area) — Verb
urbanidad(good manners/civility) — Noun
🎵 Rhymes▼
📚 Etymology▼

From the Latin word 'urbanus,' which comes from 'urbs' (meaning 'city'). It originally meant anything belonging to the city, which later expanded to include the refined manners often associated with city life.

First recorded: 13th century

Cognates (Related words)

English: urbanFrench: urbain

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Frequently Asked Questions

Is 'urbano' the same as 'ciudad'?

No. 'Ciudad' is a noun (city), whereas 'urbano' is an adjective (urban) used to describe things related to that city.

When should I use 'urbano' to mean polite?

Very rarely in casual speech. It's much more common in formal writing or when describing someone's sophisticated manners. In daily life, use 'educado'.

Does 'urbano' always change to 'urbana'?

Yes, if the noun it describes is feminine. For example: 'la planificación urbana' or 'las zonas urbanas'.