How to Say "indigenous person" in Spanish
The Spanish word for “indigenous person” is “indígena” — B1 level. This is a very common word in everyday Spanish.
Examples
El guía es un indígena que conoce muy bien la montaña.
The guide is an indigenous person who knows the mountain very well.
Una indígena guatemalteca ganó el Premio Nobel de la Paz.
A Guatemalan indigenous woman won the Nobel Peace Prize.
Los indígenas de esta región luchan por sus tierras.
The indigenous people of this region are fighting for their lands.
Using 'The' to Show Gender
Since the word 'indígena' looks the same for everyone, we use 'el' (the - male) or 'la' (the - female) to show who we are talking about.
Don't Confuse with 'Indigente'
Mistake: “Vimos a un indígena pidiendo dinero.”
Correction: Vimos a un indigente... 'Indigente' means someone who is homeless or very poor, while 'indígena' refers to native heritage.
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