Inklingo

How to Say "lobby" in Spanish

The most common Spanish word for “lobby” is “recepción” — use 'recepción' when referring to the specific area where you check in or interact with staff, like a hotel front desk or an office reception area.

English → Spanish

recepción

nounA1general
Use 'recepción' when referring to the specific area where you check in or interact with staff, like a hotel front desk or an office reception area.

Examples

¿Dónde está la recepción? Necesito registrarme.

Where is the front desk? I need to check in.

hall

jolxol

nounA2general
Use 'hall' for the general entrance area or foyer of a large building like a hotel or theater, often a spacious area.
A bright and welcoming hotel lobby with comfortable armchairs, a polished floor, and a reception desk.

Examples

Te espero en el hall del hotel a las ocho.

I'll wait for you in the hotel lobby at eight.

El hall de este edificio es muy moderno y espacioso.

The lobby of this building is very modern and spacious.

Dejamos los paraguas en el hall antes de entrar al salón.

We left the umbrellas in the entrance hall before entering the living room.

It's a masculine word

Even though it comes from English, this word is masculine in Spanish. You should always use 'el' or 'un' with it (el hall, un hall).

Plural form

To make it plural, simply add an 's' to the end: 'los halls'.

Gender confusion

Mistake: “La hall”

Correction: El hall. Because it refers to an entrance (la entrada), some learners think it's feminine, but it is officially masculine.

vestíbulo

nounB1general
Use 'vestíbulo' for the main, often grand, entrance hall of a building, emphasizing its size and importance.

Examples

El vestíbulo del hotel era lujoso, con un suelo de mármol.

The hotel lobby was luxurious, with a marble floor.

portal

poor-TAHLpoɾˈtal

nounA2general
Use 'portal' primarily in Spain for the entrance hall or doorway of a building, especially a residential building or church.
A colorful storybook illustration of a large, inviting main entrance to a building, featuring a heavy wooden door framed by a stone archway.

Examples

El portal de la iglesia estaba decorado con flores.

The main entrance of the church was decorated with flowers.

Esperamos en el portal hasta que llegó la vecina.

We waited in the lobby until the neighbor arrived.

Es un portal antiguo con mucha historia.

It is an old doorway with a lot of history.

Masculine Noun Rule

Even though many Spanish words ending in -al are adjectives (like 'normal'), 'portal' is a masculine noun, so you always use 'el' (el portal).

Confusing general entrance with the reception desk

Learners often use 'lobby' words like 'hall' or 'vestíbulo' when they actually mean the 'recepción' desk. Remember, 'recepción' is specifically for the service or information area, not just any entrance space.

Related Translations

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