Inklingo

How to Say "alien" in Spanish

English → Spanish

alienígena

nounA2general
Use this when referring to a creature or being that comes from another planet.

Examples

El niño dijo que había visto un alienígena en el bosque.

The boy said he had seen an alien in the forest.

extraterrestre

eks-tra-te-RRES-treh/ekstɾateˈrestɾe/

nounB1general
This is another common term for a being from another planet, often used interchangeably with 'alienígena'.
A cute, small green alien creature with large black eyes standing on a desolate, red rocky surface, implying it is from another planet.

Examples

Mi hermano dice que vio un extraterrestre cerca del bosque.

My brother says he saw an alien near the forest.

La película trata sobre un grupo de extraterrestres que invaden la Tierra.

The movie is about a group of aliens who invade Earth.

Gender Stays the Same

This noun is special because its ending never changes, regardless of the person's biological gender. You use 'el' (for a male alien) and 'la' (for a female alien), but the word itself is always 'extraterrestre'.

Confusing Noun and Adjective

Mistake: “Usar 'un vida extraterrestre' (mixing up noun and adjective forms).”

Correction: Use 'un extraterrestre' (the being) or 'vida extraterrestre' (the adjective). They look the same but play different roles.

alienígena

adjectiveB1general
Use this adjective to describe technology, artifacts, or phenomena that are of non-terrestrial origin.

Examples

Los científicos investigan la tecnología alienígena recuperada.

Scientists are investigating the recovered alien technology.

extranjera

/eks-trahn-HEH-rah//eks.tɾan.ˈxe.ɾa/

adjectiveA1general
Use this word only when 'alien' means foreign or from another country, not when referring to beings from outer space.
A colorful tropical bird with vibrant feathers sitting on a branch in a local forest.

Examples

Me encanta ver cine y películas de cinematografía extranjera.

I love watching foreign cinema and films.

Ella habla una lengua extranjera muy bien.

She speaks a foreign language very well.

Matching the Ending

Because this ends in 'a', it must describe 'feminine' words like 'comida' (food) or 'película' (movie). If you describe a 'masculine' word, you must use 'extranjero' instead.

Using the wrong gender

Mistake: “El idioma extranjera.”

Correction: El idioma extranjero. Even though 'idioma' ends in 'a', it is actually a masculine word, so the description must match it.

Alien vs. Foreign

The most common mistake is using 'extranjera' when you mean a being from outer space. Remember that 'alienígena' and 'extraterrestre' are for space beings, while 'extranjera' means from another country or simply foreign.

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