How to Say "native americans" in Spanish
The Spanish word for “native americans” is “indios” — B1 level. This is a very common word in everyday Spanish.
Examples
Los indios de la región andina tienen una rica cultura milenaria.
The indigenous peoples of the Andean region have a rich, ancient culture.
Cristóbal Colón creyó haber llegado a las Indias, por eso llamó 'indios' a los habitantes.
Christopher Columbus believed he had reached the Indies, which is why he called the inhabitants 'indios'.
Plural Noun Rule
This word is the masculine plural form. To talk about women, you would use 'indias'. To talk about a mixed group or the group in general, use 'indios'.
Confusing Asia and America
Mistake: “Using 'indios' to refer to people from India (the country in Asia).”
Correction: While technically correct in some historical contexts, it is clearer to use 'hindúes' or 'personas de la India' to avoid confusion with the indigenous peoples of the Americas.
Related Translations
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