Inklingo

How to Say "high school" in Spanish

English → Spanish

instituto

een-stee-TOO-tohinstiˈtuto

nounA1general
Use 'instituto' when referring to the specific secondary school building or institution, especially common in Spain for ages 12-18.
A colorful illustration of a large, multi-story school building with high windows. Several teenagers carrying backpacks are walking toward the entrance, illustrating secondary education.

Examples

Mi hijo mayor terminó el instituto el año pasado.

My oldest son finished high school last year.

Hay un instituto nuevo en las afueras de la ciudad.

There is a new secondary school on the outskirts of the city.

Masculine Noun

Since 'instituto' ends in -o, it is a masculine word. Always use the masculine articles (el, un) and masculine adjectives with it.

colegio

coh-LEH-heeohkoˈlexjo

nounA1general
While 'colegio' can sometimes mean high school, it more broadly refers to a school, particularly in Spain, and can encompass primary or secondary levels.
A simple illustration showing a bright yellow school bus parked next to a traditional red-brick school building with large windows.

Examples

Mi hijo empieza el colegio nuevo en septiembre.

My son starts the new school in September.

Fui al mismo colegio que mi padre.

I went to the same school as my father.

Ella es profesora en un colegio bilingüe.

She is a teacher in a bilingual school.

Gender and Articles

Since 'colegio' is masculine, always use the article 'el' before it: 'el colegio'. If you are talking about multiple schools, use 'los colegios'.

False Friend Alert: Not 'College'

Mistake: “Using 'colegio' to mean 'university' or 'college' (higher education).”

Correction: This is a 'false friend'. 'Colegio' means K-12 school. For higher education, use 'universidad' or 'facultad'.

secundario

seh-koon-DAH-ryohsekunˈdaɾjo

adjectiveA2general
Use 'educación secundaria' when referring to the general level or system of secondary education, rather than a specific school.
A teenager wearing a backpack walking towards a building with a large school bus parked nearby.

Examples

Mi hijo termina la educación secundaria este año.

My son finishes secondary education this year.

Ella es profesora de secundaria.

She is a high school teacher.

Los estudios secundarios son muy importantes.

Secondary studies are very important.

Using 'la secundaria' as a Noun

In many countries, people just say 'la secundaria' to mean the school building or that stage of life, without adding the word 'escuela'.

Institution vs. Level

The most common mistake is using 'colegio' or 'instituto' to refer to the general concept of secondary education, when 'educación secundaria' is more appropriate. Remember, 'instituto' and 'colegio' often refer to the physical school building.

Related Translations

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