Inklingo

How to Say "polls" in Spanish

English → Spanish

elecciones

eh-lek-SYOH-ness/e.lekˈsjo.nes/

NounB2General
Use 'elecciones' when referring to the general concept or the entire process of voting, especially for significant events like presidential or municipal votes.
A cartoon hand dropping a folded ballot into a transparent, sealed ballot box labeled 'VOTE'.

Examples

Las elecciones presidenciales son cada cuatro años.

The presidential elections are every four years.

El gobierno anunció la fecha de las próximas elecciones.

The government announced the date of the next elections.

La participación en las elecciones fue muy alta este año.

Turnout in the elections was very high this year.

Always Plural for Politics

In Spanish, when referring to the political event where people vote, 'elecciones' is almost always used in the plural, even if English might say 'an election'.

Using the Singular

Mistake:Hice una elección ayer.

Correction: Hubo elecciones ayer. (I made a choice yesterday is 'Hice una elección', but the political event needs the plural: 'There were elections yesterday.')

elección

eh-lek-SYOHN/e.lekˈsjon/

nounB1General
Use 'elección' when specifically referring to a single voting period or a particular instance of choosing, often emphasizing the act of selection.
A large, rectangular blue ballot box with a narrow slot on top. A cartoon hand is dropping a white paper ballot into the slot, representing a political election.

Examples

Las próximas elecciones municipales serán muy importantes.

The next municipal elections will be very important.

El presidente ganó la elección por un amplio margen.

The president won the election by a wide margin.

La campaña electoral terminó el día antes de la elección.

The electoral campaign ended the day before the election.

Singular vs. Plural

When talking about a political election event, Spanish speakers often use the plural form, 'las elecciones', even if English uses the singular 'the election'.

Using the Singular Too Often

Mistake:La elección es el domingo.

Correction: Las elecciones son el domingo. (Explanation: The plural form, 'las elecciones', is much more standard when referring to the political event.)

Plural vs. Singular for Elections

Learners often mistakenly use the singular 'elección' when the English 'polls' refers to a general event or a collection of voting instances, which is typically expressed in Spanish using the plural 'elecciones'. Always consider if you are talking about the event in general or a specific single choice.

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