How to Say "pontiff" in Spanish
The Spanish word for “pontiff” is “papa” — B1 level.
English → SpanishB1
nounB1
Synonym for the religious leader

Examples
El papa dio un discurso en la plaza principal.
The Pope gave a speech in the main square.
Esperamos la visita del papa en octubre.
We await the Pope's visit in October.
Use of the Article
Even though 'Papa' refers to a specific person (the current Pope), Spanish usually requires the definite article ('el') when mentioning his title: 'El papa visitó...'
Confusing Meaning by Gender
Mistake: “Saying 'La papa' when trying to talk about the religious leader.”
Correction: Use the masculine article 'El papa' (the Pope); 'La papa' means 'the potato' or 'mashed food'.
Learn Spanish with Inklingo
Interactive stories, personalized learning, and more.