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How to Say "outside" in Spanish

The most common Spanish word for “outside” is “afuera” — use 'afuera' when referring to a general location that is not indoors, often implying movement towards or being in an open space.

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afuera

ah-FWEH-rahaˈfweɾa

AdverbA1General
Use 'afuera' when referring to a general location that is not indoors, often implying movement towards or being in an open space.
A small dog playing with a red ball on bright green grass, clearly positioned outside a simple yellow house.

Examples

El perro está jugando afuera en el jardín.

The dog is playing outside in the garden.

Hace un día precioso, ¿comemos afuera?

It's a beautiful day, shall we eat outside?

Si tienes calor, sal afuera a tomar un poco de aire.

If you're hot, go outside to get some air.

Afuera vs. Fuera

These two words are very similar and often used in the same way. Think of 'afuera' as suggesting movement 'to the outside' (like 'sal afuera' - go outside). 'Fuera' often describes a fixed position 'at the outside' (like 'está fuera' - he is outside). But don't worry, in most everyday situations, you can use either one and people will understand you perfectly.

Saying 'Outside Of'

Mistake: “Quiero sentarme afuera del café.”

Correction: Quiero sentarme fuera del café. (I want to sit outside the café.) When you want to say 'outside of' a specific place, it sounds a little more natural to use 'fuera de' instead of 'afuera de'. Both are understood, but 'fuera de' is more common.

fuera

FWEH-rahˈfweɾa

Adverb & InterjectionA1General
Use 'fuera' to indicate a position or state of being not inside, very similar to 'afuera' but can also be used as a command or exclamation.
A happy dog sitting on the grass just outside an open door, looking out from the house. This illustrates the meaning 'outside'.

Examples

El gato está fuera, en el jardín.

The cat is outside, in the garden.

Prefiero comer fuera esta noche.

I prefer to eat out tonight.

Mi jefe está fuera de la oficina hasta el lunes.

My boss is out of the office until Monday.

'Fuera' vs. 'Afuera'

In many cases, 'fuera' and 'afuera' mean the same thing ('outside'). 'Afuera' can sometimes suggest movement towards the outside ('vamos afuera' - let's go outside), but don't worry too much, they are often used interchangeably.

exterior

ehks-teh-RYOReks.teˈɾjoɾ

adjectiveA1General
Use 'exterior' as an adjective to describe the outer part or surface of something, like a building or an object.
A close-up view of the red wooden exterior wall of a house, emphasizing the surface texture.

Examples

Pintaremos la pared exterior de la casa de azul.

We will paint the exterior wall of the house blue.

Necesitamos revisar el cableado exterior antes de la tormenta.

We need to check the outer wiring before the storm.

Gender Consistency

This adjective describes nouns, but unlike many Spanish adjectives, it looks the same whether the noun is masculine (muro exterior) or feminine (pared exterior).

forastero

fo-ras-TEH-rofoɾasˈteɾo

adjectiveB2General
Use 'forastero' to describe something or someone that comes from outside a particular place or group, often implying foreign or unfamiliar.
A bright tropical parrot with colorful feathers perched on a snowy pine tree branch.

Examples

Trajeron costumbres forasteras que nadie entendía.

They brought outside customs that no one understood.

Ese acento forastero delataba su origen.

That foreign accent gave away his origin.

La influencia forastera cambió el estilo de la arquitectura local.

Outside influence changed the style of local architecture.

Matching the Noun

As a describing word, it must match what it describes. For a feminine thing like 'costumbre' (custom), use 'forastera'.

Confusing with 'Extraño'

Mistake: “Using 'forastero' to mean 'weird'.”

Correction: Use 'forastero' to mean 'from another place'. If something is just 'weird' or 'strange' in character, use 'extraño' or 'raro'.

Afuera vs. Fuera

The most common confusion is between 'afuera' and 'fuera', as both often translate to 'outside' when referring to location. In many everyday situations, they are interchangeable, but 'afuera' can sometimes emphasize movement into an open space more than 'fuera'.

Related Translations

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