Inklingo
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vecino

/veh-SEE-noh/

neighbor

Two friendly adults talking to each other across a low white fence separating two colorful houses.

A person living next door or nearby is a 'vecino' (neighbor).

vecino(noun)

mA1

neighbor

?

person living next door or nearby

Also:

resident

?

citizen or inhabitant of a specific community or district

📝 In Action

Mi vecino me ayudó a cargar las cajas.

A1

My neighbor helped me carry the boxes.

Los vecinos se quejaron por el ruido de la fiesta.

A2

The neighbors complained about the party noise.

Todos los vecinos del barrio asistieron a la reunión municipal.

B1

All the residents of the neighborhood attended the municipal meeting.

Word Connections

Synonyms

  • morador (inhabitant)
  • habitante (inhabitant, resident)

Common Collocations

  • vecino de al lado – next-door neighbor
  • junta de vecinos – neighborhood association meeting

💡 Grammar Points

Gender Match

Since this is a noun referring to a person, it changes form depending on the person's gender: 'vecino' (male) and 'vecina' (female).

❌ Common Pitfalls

Confusing Noun and Location

Mistake: "Usar 'vecindario' para hablar de una persona. (e.g., 'Mi vecindario es amable.')"

Correction: Use 'vecino' or 'vecina' for the person. 'Vecindario' means the place (neighborhood). Say: 'Mi vecino es amable.'

⭐ Usage Tips

Formal Contexts

In official documents or formal news, 'vecino' can mean any resident or citizen of a town, not just someone living right next door.

An aerial view showing two small, distinct towns separated by a narrow river, illustrating them being neighboring areas.

When describing a town or area adjacent to another, we use the adjective 'vecino' (neighboring).

vecino(adjective)

mB1

neighboring

?

describing a town, building, or area

Also:

adjacent

?

physically next to something

📝 In Action

La ciudad vecina tiene un festival de música este fin de semana.

B1

The neighboring city has a music festival this weekend.

El terreno vecino está a la venta.

B2

The adjacent plot of land is for sale.

Word Connections

Synonyms

  • cercano (nearby)
  • adyacente (adjacent)

Antonyms

  • distante (distant)

Common Collocations

  • país vecino – neighboring country
  • pueblo vecino – neighboring town

💡 Grammar Points

Agreement is Key

Since 'vecino' is an adjective here, it must agree in gender and number with the thing it describes: 'el pueblo vecino' (masculine singular), 'las ciudades vecinas' (feminine plural).

❌ Common Pitfalls

Placement

Mistake: "Using the adjective after the noun when describing geographic neighbors (e.g., 'el vecino país')."

Correction: It usually goes before the noun in English, but in Spanish, it typically follows: 'el país vecino' or 'la ciudad vecina'.

⭐ Usage Tips

Describing Proximity

This adjective is a strong way to show that something is immediately next to or shares a border with another thing.

✏️ Quick Practice

💡 Quick Quiz: vecino

Question 1 of 1

Which sentence correctly uses the adjective form of 'vecino'?

📚 More Resources

Word Family

vecina(female neighbor) - noun
vecindario(neighborhood) - noun
vecindad(vicinity/community) - noun

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the difference between 'vecindario' and 'vecino'?

'Vecino' refers to a person (a neighbor), while 'vecindario' refers to the place where neighbors live (the neighborhood or vicinity).

How do I say 'female neighbor'?

The word changes its ending to match the gender: 'vecino' is for a male neighbor, and 'vecina' is for a female neighbor.