How to Say "seaside" in Spanish
The most common Spanish word for “seaside” is “costa” — use 'costa' when referring to the actual land along the sea, often as a destination for travel or leisure.
costa
kos-taˈkosta
Examples
Pasaremos nuestras vacaciones en la costa del Mediterráneo.
We will spend our vacation on the Mediterranean coast.
La costa de ese país es muy rocosa y difícil de navegar.
The shore of that country is very rocky and difficult to navigate.
Hay pueblos pequeños y bonitos a lo largo de toda la costa.
There are beautiful small towns all along the entire coast.
Gender Reminder
Even though 'costa' ends in -a, always remember that it is a feminine noun and needs 'la' or 'una'.
Confusing 'costa' and 'costado'
Mistake: “Using 'el costado' when talking about the beach.”
Correction: 'Costado' means 'side' (of a person or object), while 'costa' is only the land next to the sea.
costero
koh-STEH-rohkosˈteɾo
Examples
Queremos pasar las vacaciones en un pueblo costero.
We want to spend the holidays in a coastal town.
La brisa costera es muy agradable por la noche.
The seaside breeze is very pleasant at night.
El gobierno anunció un plan para proteger el ecosistema costero.
The government announced a plan to protect the coastal ecosystem.
Matching gender
This word is a describing word (adjective), so it must match the person or thing it describes. Use 'costero' for masculine words (pueblo costero) and 'costera' for feminine words (ciudad costera).
Where to put the word
In Spanish, you usually place 'costero' after the thing you are describing. Instead of saying 'coastal town,' you say 'town coastal' (pueblo costero).
Confusing with 'Expensive'
Mistake: “Este hotel es muy costero.”
Correction: Use 'costoso' if you mean expensive. Use 'costero' only to say something is located by the sea.
Noun vs. Adjective
Related Translations
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