Inklingo

How to Say "long-standing" in Spanish

English → Spanish

antigua

an-TEE-gwah/anˈtiɣwa/

AdjectiveA1General
Use 'antigua' when referring to something established and traditional, like a city, custom, or long-standing relationship, emphasizing its historical roots.
A weathered wooden rocking chair showing signs of age and long use, sitting on a simple porch.

Examples

Esta es una tradición antigua en mi familia.

This is a long-standing tradition in my family.

Esta es una ciudad muy antigua con mucha historia.

This is a very old city with a lot of history.

La casa de mi abuela tiene una arquitectura antigua y preciosa.

My grandmother's house has beautiful old (or antique) architecture.

La civilización egipcia es muy antigua.

The Egyptian civilization is very ancient.

Gender Agreement

Since 'antigua' ends in 'a', it is the feminine form. You must use it when describing feminine nouns (like 'casa' or 'mesa'). If the noun were masculine (like 'libro'), you would use 'antiguo'.

Confusing 'antigua' and 'vieja'

Mistake: “Using 'vieja' to mean 'ancient' or 'historic'.”

Correction: 'Vieja' often implies deterioration or simply age, while 'antigua' is better for historical value or long-standing quality. Use 'antigua' for historic buildings or artifacts.

vieja

/BYEH-hah//'bjexa/

AdjectiveA1General
Use 'vieja' to describe something that has existed for a very long time, often implying age or a lengthy duration, such as a friendship or a worn-out object.
A simple wooden chair that is visibly old, with chipped blue paint and slightly frayed upholstery, illustrating something worn-out.

Examples

Tenemos una amistad vieja y muy fuerte.

We have a long-standing and very strong friendship.

Mi gata es muy vieja, tiene 15 años.

My cat is very old, she is 15 years old.

Esta es una tradición muy vieja en mi familia.

This is a very old tradition in my family.

Necesito una silla nueva; esta está muy vieja.

I need a new chair; this one is very old/worn-out.

Matching the Noun

In Spanish, words that describe things (adjectives) change to match the thing they're describing. Use 'vieja' for feminine things, like 'la casa' (the house) or 'la gata' (the female cat). For masculine things, you'd use 'viejo'.

Gender Mix-up

Mistake: “La coche es vieja.”

Correction: El coche es viejo. The word for car, 'coche', is masculine, so you need to use the masculine form 'viejo' to describe it.

Antigua vs. Vieja for 'Long-Standing'

Learners often confuse 'antigua' and 'vieja' because both mean 'old.' Remember that 'antigua' is generally preferred for traditions, institutions, or relationships with historical significance, while 'vieja' can be used more broadly for anything that has simply existed for a long time.

Related Translations

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