How to Say "disciple" in Spanish
The most common Spanish word for “disciple” is “seguidor” — use this when referring to someone who follows a particular belief system, ideology, or public figure, especially in a modern, often online, context.
seguidor
seh-ghee-DOHRseɣiˈðoɾ
Examples
Ella tiene más de un millón de seguidores en su cuenta.
She has more than a million followers on her account.
Soy un fiel seguidor de ese equipo de fútbol desde niño.
I have been a loyal fan of that soccer team since I was a child.
El candidato habló ante una multitud de seguidores.
The candidate spoke before a crowd of supporters.
The '-dor' ending
In Spanish, adding '-dor' to a verb root is a common way to describe a person who performs that action. Here, 'seguir' (to follow) becomes 'seguidor' (follower).
Making it plural
Since the word ends in a consonant (r), you simply add '-es' to the end to talk about more than one person: 'seguidores'.
Confusing 'follower' with 'next'
Mistake: “Using 'seguidor' to mean 'the next day'.”
Correction: Use 'siguiente' for 'next' and 'seguidor' only for a person who follows someone else.
alumno
ah-LOOM-nohaˈlumno
Examples
El nuevo alumno es muy inteligente.
The new student is very intelligent.
Ese profesor tiene muchos alumnos en su clase.
That teacher has many students in his class.
Soy un antiguo alumno de esta escuela.
I am a former student of this school.
Changing for Gender
This word ends in 'o' because it refers to a male student. If you are talking about a female student, you change it to 'alumna'.
Talking about Groups
In Spanish, the plural 'alumnos' is used for a group of only boys OR a mixed group of boys and girls.
Student vs. Alumno
Mistake: “Using 'alumno' only for people who study hard.”
Correction: Use 'alumno' to describe the relationship with a teacher. Even if someone doesn't study much, they are still an 'alumno' if they are enrolled in the class.
discípulo
dee-SEE-poo-lohdiˈsi.pu.lo
Examples
El gran pintor renacentista tenía un discípulo muy talentoso.
The great Renaissance painter had a very talented disciple.
Sócrates enseñaba a sus discípulos en las plazas de Atenas.
Socrates taught his disciples in the squares of Athens.
Se considera un fiel discípulo de las ideas de su abuelo.
He considers himself a faithful follower of his grandfather's ideas.
Using the 'the' and 'a'
Since this word is masculine and ends in 'o', you should use 'el' for 'the' (el discípulo) and 'un' for 'a' (un discípulo).
Making it plural
To talk about more than one follower, just add an 's' to the end: 'los discípulos'.
Don't use it for school kids
Mistake: “Mi hijo es un discípulo en la escuela primaria.”
Correction: Mi hijo es un alumno en la escuela primaria. 'Discípulo' is for deep learning or following a philosopher/master, not for standard classroom students.
apóstol
ah-POHS-tohlaˈpostol
Examples
San Pedro fue un apóstol de Jesús.
Saint Peter was an apostle of Jesus.
En la Última Cena, los doce apóstoles estaban presentes.
At the Last Supper, the twelve apostles were present.
El museo tiene una estatua de cada apóstol.
The museum has a statue of every apostle.
Making it plural
Because the word ends in a consonant, you add '-es' to make it plural: 'un apóstol' becomes 'los apóstoles'.
The Stress Mark
Notice the accent mark on the 'o'. This tells you to emphasize the middle syllable (ah-POHS-tohl) rather than the end of the word.
The Missing Accent
Mistake: “apostol”
Correction: apóstol; always include the accent mark to ensure correct pronunciation.
protege
proh-TEH-hehpɾoˈt̪exe
Examples
El joven artista es el protege del famoso pintor.
The young artist is the protégé of the famous painter.
Ella fue su protege durante la última década.
She was his protégé during the last decade.
Gender Note
Although the noun is borrowed from French, it is commonly used for both men and women in Spanish. You can use 'el protege' or 'la protege' depending on the gender of the person.
Seguidor vs. Discípulo
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