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voz

/bos/

voice

A happy child singing loudly, with bright, colorful undulating sound waves clearly visible emanating from their open mouth and traveling across the scene.

Voz means the sound produced by a person speaking or singing (voice).

voz(Noun)

fA1

voice

?

The sound you make when you speak or sing.

📝 In Action

Tienes una voz muy bonita.

A1

You have a very beautiful voice.

Por favor, habla en voz más alta, no te oigo.

A2

Please, speak in a louder voice, I can't hear you.

Reconocí su voz inmediatamente por teléfono.

B1

I recognized his voice immediately on the phone.

Word Connections

Synonyms

  • tono (tone)

Antonyms

  • silencio (silence)

Common Collocations

  • en voz alta – out loud
  • en voz baja – in a low voice, quietly
  • alzar la voz – to raise one's voice
  • tono de voz – tone of voice

Idioms & Expressions

  • a viva voz – To say something loudly and publicly for all to hear.
  • correr la voz – To spread a rumor or piece of news.

💡 Grammar Points

Always Feminine: 'La Voz'

Even though 'voz' doesn't end in '-a', it's a feminine word. So, you always say 'la voz' or 'una voz', not 'el voz'.

⭐ Usage Tips

Talking About Volume

To talk about speaking loudly or quietly, use the phrases 'en voz alta' (out loud) and 'en voz baja' (in a low voice/quietly). They're super common!

Three cartoon figures sitting at a round table. One figure is standing slightly and speaking with confidence, while the other two figures are leaning in and listening attentively, symbolizing having a say or influence.

Figuratively, voz can mean having a 'say' or influence in a decision.

voz(Noun)

fB1

say

?

The right to express an opinion or influence a decision.

,

voice

?

Figurative, as in 'to have a voice in a matter'.

Also:

vote

?

Often used alongside 'voto' (vote).

📝 In Action

Los empleados quieren tener más voz en las decisiones de la empresa.

B1

The employees want to have more of a say in the company's decisions.

Es importante que cada ciudadano sienta que tiene voz.

B2

It's important that every citizen feels they have a voice.

En esta comité, todos tenemos voz y voto.

B2

On this committee, we all have a voice and a vote.

Word Connections

Synonyms

  • opinión (opinion)
  • participación (participation)

Common Collocations

  • tener voz y voto – to have a voice and a vote / to have a say
  • dar voz a alguien – to give someone a voice

Idioms & Expressions

  • ser la voz cantante – To be the leader or the one who makes the main decisions in a group.

⭐ Usage Tips

From Sound to Influence

This meaning is a direct extension of the first one. Just like a literal 'voice' makes a sound, this figurative 'voice' makes your opinion heard in a decision.

A split scene illustration contrasting grammar concepts. On the left (Active), a boy hits a ball. On the right (Passive), the focus is entirely on the ball flying after being hit, showing the subject receiving the action.

Voz is also the term used in grammar to distinguish between active voice and passive voice.

voz(Noun)

fB2

voice

?

A grammatical term (e.g., active voice, passive voice).

📝 In Action

La frase 'El libro fue escrito por ella' está en voz pasiva.

B2

The sentence 'The book was written by her' is in the passive voice.

Para cambiar la oración a la voz activa, dirías 'Ella escribió el libro'.

C1

To change the sentence to the active voice, you would say 'She wrote the book'.

Word Connections

Common Collocations

  • voz activa – active voice
  • voz pasiva – passive voice

💡 Grammar Points

Grammar: Who's Doing the Action?

'Voz activa' is when the subject does the action (e.g., 'I ate the apple'). 'Voz pasiva' is when the subject receives the action (e.g., 'The apple was eaten by me').

⭐ Usage Tips

A Term for Your Teacher

You probably won't use this meaning in everyday conversation, but it's very helpful to know for your Spanish classes when analyzing sentences.

✏️ Quick Practice

💡 Quick Quiz: voz

Question 1 of 2

In the sentence 'Los manifestantes no tienen voz en el parlamento', what does 'voz' mean?

📚 More Resources

Word Family

vocear(to shout, to cry out) - verb
vocero/a(spokesperson) - noun
vociferar(to yell, to vociferate) - verb
vocal(vowel; vocal) - noun/adjective

Frequently Asked Questions

Why is 'voz' feminine if it ends in 'z'?

That's a great question! While many feminine words end in '-a', there are exceptions. Words ending in '-z', like 'voz', 'paz' (peace), and 'luz' (light), are often feminine. It's a pattern you'll get used to with practice. Just remember: 'la voz'.

What is the plural of 'voz'?

The plural is 'voces'. Words that end in '-z' in Spanish change the 'z' to a 'c' before adding '-es' to become plural. For example, 'una voz' (one voice) becomes 'muchas voces' (many voices).