Inklingo

How to Say "sailor" in Spanish

English → Spanish

marinero

mah-ree-NEH-rohmaɾiˈneɾo

nounA2general
Use 'marinero' for the general term for a person who works on a ship, especially one with professional experience at sea.
A cartoon illustration of a smiling sailor wearing a white cap and blue uniform, holding a coiled piece of rope over his shoulder.

Examples

El viejo marinero contó historias increíbles sobre el océano.

The old sailor told incredible stories about the ocean.

Todos los marineros estaban listos para zarpar al amanecer.

All the sailors were ready to set sail at dawn.

Gender Match

To talk about a female sailor, you change the ending: 'la marinera'. This is a common pattern for job titles ending in -o.

Confusing Jobs

Mistake: “Using 'navegante' when you mean a general crew member.”

Correction: 'Navegante' is often a specialist (like a navigator), while 'marinero' is the general term for a deckhand or crew member.

marino

mah-REE-nohmaˈɾino

nounB1general
Use 'marino' for a person who works on a ship, often implying a slightly more formal or military context than 'marinero'.
A cheerful person dressed as a traditional sailor, wearing a white hat and blue striped shirt, standing on a wooden boat deck.

Examples

El joven marino regresó a casa después de un largo viaje.

The young sailor returned home after a long trip.

Los marinos tienen un entrenamiento muy riguroso.

The marines have very rigorous training.

Gender for People

When 'marino' refers to a person, it usually means a man. If you need to refer to a female sailor or marine, you would use 'la marina'.

tripulante

tree-poo-LAN-tehtɾipuˈlante

nounB1informal
Use 'tripulante' in informal situations to refer to any member of a boat's crew, emphasizing their role as part of the team.
A friendly person wearing a professional sailor uniform standing on the deck of a ship.

Examples

El tripulante nos indicó dónde estaban las salidas de emergencia.

The crew member showed us where the emergency exits were.

Cada tripulante del barco tiene una tarea muy importante.

Every crew member on the ship has a very important task.

La nave espacial lleva a seis tripulantes a la Estación Internacional.

The spacecraft is carrying six crew members to the International Station.

One Word for Everyone

This word doesn't change its ending for men or women. It's always 'tripulante.' To show gender, just change the word for 'the' or 'a' before it.

Singular vs. Group

A 'tripulante' is one individual person. If you want to talk about the whole group as a single unit, use the word 'tripulación' (crew).

Don't say 'tripulanta'

Mistake: “La tripulanta fue muy amable.”

Correction: La tripulante fue muy amable. (Even for women, the word ends in -e).

Marinero vs. Marino vs. Tripulante

Learners often confuse 'marinero' and 'marino' as they both mean 'sailor'. While 'marinero' is more common for professional sailors, 'marino' can sometimes lean towards a more formal or military context. 'Tripulante' is best reserved for informal contexts referring to any crew member.

Related Translations

Learn Spanish with Inklingo

Interactive stories, personalized learning, and more.