How to Say "broad" in Spanish
The most common Spanish word for “broad” is “ancho” — use 'ancho' when describing the physical width of something, like a road, a river, or a space.
ancho
AHN-choˈantʃo
Examples
La calle es muy ancha y tiene muchos árboles.
The street is very wide and has many trees.
El río es más ancho en esta parte.
The river is wider in this part.
Matching the word to what you describe
Remember to change the 'o' to 'a' if the thing you are describing is feminine (e.g., 'una mesa ancha').
Don't confuse with 'large'
Mistake: “Using 'ancho' to mean 'big' in general.”
Correction: Use 'grande' for big; use 'ancho' specifically for the distance from side to side.
amplio
am-plyohˈampljo
Examples
Ella tiene un conocimiento amplio de la historia española.
She has an extensive knowledge of Spanish history.
La tienda ofrece una amplia gama de productos orgánicos.
The store offers a broad range of organic products.
Buscamos a alguien con una amplia experiencia en ventas.
We are looking for someone with extensive experience in sales.
Abstract Descriptions
When talking about ideas like 'knowledge' or 'experience,' 'amplio' works just like 'extensive' in English.
genérico
Examples
Usó un término genérico para referirse a todas las frutas.
He used a generic term to refer to all fruits.
vasto
BAHS-tohˈbasto
Examples
La profesora tiene un vasto conocimiento de la cultura maya.
The professor has a vast knowledge of Mayan culture.
Hay una vasta gama de colores en esta pintura.
There is a wide range of colors in this painting.
Su experiencia laboral es muy vasta.
His work experience is very extensive.
Using 'vasto' for information
When describing mental things like 'knowledge' or 'experience', 'vasto' suggests the person knows almost everything about a topic.
Ancho vs. Amplio
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