How to Say "journalism" in Spanish
The most common Spanish word for “journalism” is “periodismo” — use 'periodismo' when referring to the academic discipline, the profession as a field of study, or the practice of reporting news.
periodismo
peh-ryoh-DEES-mohpeɾjoˈðismo
Examples
Mi hermana quiere estudiar periodismo en Madrid.
My sister wants to study journalism in Madrid.
El periodismo digital ha crecido mucho en la última década.
Digital journalism has grown a lot in the last decade.
Muchos consideran que el periodismo es el cuarto poder.
Many consider journalism to be the fourth estate (fourth power).
Gender Pattern
Most words ending in '-ismo' in Spanish are masculine. Even though it ends in 'o', it follows the same rule as 'turismo' or 'optimismo'.
Using the Article
When talking about 'periodismo' as a general concept or field of study, you almost always need to include the word 'el' (the) before it: 'El periodismo es difícil' (Journalism is hard).
The Profession vs. The Person
Mistake: “Él es un periodismo muy famoso.”
Correction: Él es un periodista muy famoso.
prensa
pren-saˈpɾensa
Examples
La prensa estaba esperando al presidente fuera del edificio.
The press was waiting for the president outside the building.
Necesitamos hablar con la prensa sobre este nuevo descubrimiento.
We need to talk to the media about this new discovery.
Trabaja en la prensa local escribiendo artículos de opinión.
He works in the local press writing opinion pieces.
Always Singular
Even though 'la prensa' refers to many journalists and outlets, it is treated as a single, feminine word, just like 'the media' in English is often treated as singular.
Using 'los' instead of 'la'
Mistake: “Los prensa dijo...”
Correction: La prensa dijo... (The press said...). Remember it is feminine (la).
Periodismo vs. Prensa
Related Translations
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