How to Say "county" in Spanish
The most common Spanish word for “county” is “condado” — use 'condado' when referring to an official administrative or geographical division, especially in countries like the United States or the United Kingdom.
condado
kohn-DAH-dohkonˈdaðo
Examples
El condado de King incluye la ciudad de Seattle.
King County includes the city of Seattle.
El condado de Los Ángeles es muy grande y poblado.
Los Angeles County is very large and populated.
Tuvimos que ir a la oficina del condado para registrar la propiedad.
We had to go to the county office to register the property.
Masculine Noun
Since 'condado' ends in -o, it is a masculine noun. Always use the masculine articles 'el' or 'un' before it.
Confusing 'Condado' and 'Ciudad'
Mistake: “Usando 'Mi ciudad se llama Condado de Miami.'”
Correction: Saying 'Mi ciudad está en el condado de Miami.' (A county is usually much larger than a single city and contains many cities.)
provincia
pro-BEEN-syahpɾoˈβin.sja
Examples
La Rioja es una provincia de España conocida por sus viñedos.
La Rioja is a province in Spain known for its vineyards.
Mendoza es una provincia muy famosa por sus vinos.
Mendoza is a province very famous for its wines.
Mi familia vive en la provincia de Buenos Aires.
My family lives in the province of Buenos Aires.
España está dividida en cincuenta provincias.
Spain is divided into fifty provinces.
Gender Identification
Since it ends in -a, 'provincia' is feminine. You should always use 'la' or 'una' with it.
Naming Provinces
When naming a specific one, we usually say 'la provincia de' followed by the name. For example: 'la provincia de Madrid'.
State vs. Province
Mistake: “Using 'estado' when talking about administrative divisions in Spain or Argentina.”
Correction: Use 'provincia'. While 'estado' is used in Mexico or the US, many other Spanish-speaking countries use 'provincia'.
comarca
ko-MAR-kakoˈmaɾka
Examples
Viajamos a la comarca de La Vera para ver sus paisajes.
We traveled to the region of La Vera to see its landscapes.
Esta comarca es famosa por sus quesos artesanales.
This region is famous for its artisanal cheeses.
Hay muchos senderos para caminar por toda la comarca.
There are many trails for walking throughout the whole district.
La capital de la comarca se encuentra en un valle profundo.
The main town of the region is located in a deep valley.
It's a 'La' Word
Even though it doesn't refer to a person, 'comarca' is always feminine. Always use 'la comarca' or 'una comarca'.
Making it Plural
To talk about more than one region, just add an 's' to the end: 'las comarcas'.
Size Matters
Mistake: “Using 'comarca' to describe a whole country like 'La comarca de España'.”
Correction: A 'comarca' is a small local area, like a group of towns. Use 'país' for a country.
Spelling confusion
Mistake: “Writing 'comarca' with a 'k'.”
Correction: In Spanish, the /k/ sound before 'a' is always written with a 'c'. Use 'comarca'.
Condado vs. Provincia
Related Translations
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