How to Say "legend" in Spanish
The most common Spanish word for “legend” is “leyenda” — use 'leyenda' when referring to a traditional story, myth, or folklore, or when describing a person who has achieved iconic status in a particular field..
leyenda
leh-YEHN-dah/leˈʝen̪.da/
Examples
La leyenda de Robin Hood inspira a muchos a luchar por la justicia.
The legend of Robin Hood inspires many to fight for justice.
La leyenda de El Dorado es muy popular en Sudamérica.
The legend of El Dorado is very popular in South America.
Mi abuela siempre nos contaba leyendas de la selva.
My grandmother always told us legends of the jungle.
Diego Maradona es una leyenda del fútbol argentino.
Diego Maradona is a legend of Argentine soccer.
Always Feminine
Even though 'leyenda' doesn't end in -a in the singular, it is a feminine noun, so you must use 'la leyenda' or 'una leyenda'.
Gender Note
When referring to a person, 'leyenda' is still grammatically feminine, even if the person is a man (e.g., 'El jugador es una leyenda').
mito
MEE-toh/ˈmito/
Examples
El mito de Zeus es central en la mitología griega.
The myth of Zeus is central to Greek mythology.
Los mitos griegos son fascinantes, especialmente el de Ícaro.
Greek myths are fascinating, especially the one about Icarus.
Estudiamos el mito fundacional de su cultura en la clase de historia.
We studied the foundational myth of their culture in history class.
Ese cantante es un mito viviente de la música latina.
That singer is a living legend of Latin music.
Gender Reminder
Even though it ends in '-o', 'mito' is masculine, so always use 'el mito' or 'un mito'.
Leyenda vs. Mito for Famous People
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