How to Say "heading" in Spanish
The most common Spanish word for “heading” is “título” — use 'título' for the name of a chapter, section, or any piece of creative work like a song or book.
título
Examples
¿Cuál es el título de tu canción favorita?
What is the title of your favorite song?
titular
tee-too-LAHRtituˈlaɾ
Examples
Leí el titular en el periódico esta mañana.
I read the headline in the newspaper this morning.
Los titulares de hoy son muy impactantes.
Today's headlines are very shocking.
El titular no siempre refleja la realidad de la noticia.
The headline doesn't always reflect the reality of the news.
Masculine Word
Even though it ends in '-ar,' when referring to a headline, it is a masculine noun: 'el titular'.
Titular vs. Título
Use 'titular' specifically for news stories. Use 'título' for books, movies, or degree names.
Using 'Título' for News
Mistake: “Vi el título en el periódico.”
Correction: Vi el titular en el periódico. (In Spanish, news articles have 'titulares', not 'títulos'.)
rumbo
rrohm-bohˈrumbo
Examples
El capitán ajustó el timón y puso rumbo al sur.
The captain adjusted the rudder and set a course for the south.
Perdimos el rumbo por culpa de la niebla espesa.
We lost our heading because of the thick fog.
El avión lleva rumbo a Madrid.
The plane is heading toward Madrid.
Using 'Rumbo' with 'A'
When you talk about setting a direction toward a specific place, you almost always use the preposition 'a' (to/toward): 'rumbo a la costa' (heading to the coast).
Using 'Por' instead of 'A'
Mistake: “El tren va por rumbo Barcelona.”
Correction: El tren va rumbo a Barcelona. ('Rumbo a' is the fixed phrase for destination.)
proa
PRO-ahˈpɾo.a
Examples
El capitán se quedó parado en la proa mirando el horizonte.
The captain stood at the bow looking at the horizon.
Las olas golpeaban la proa del pequeño barco con fuerza.
The waves hit the bow of the small boat with force.
Después de muchos problemas, finalmente pusimos proa a nuestro destino.
After many problems, we finally headed toward our destination.
Always Feminine
'Proa' is a feminine noun. Even if it refers to a huge, powerful ship, you must always use feminine markers like 'la proa' or 'una proa'.
Used with 'a'
When using 'proa' to describe where you are heading, it is almost always followed by the word 'a' (to/towards), as in 'poner proa a Madrid'.
Don't confuse it with 'Popa'
Mistake: “Saying 'proa' when you mean the back of the boat.”
Correction: Use 'proa' for the front (the 'Pointy' bit) and 'popa' for the back.
Titles vs. Direction
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