Inklingo

How to Say "section" in Spanish

The most common Spanish word for “section” is “sección” — use 'sección' for a distinct part of a whole, such as a section of a book, newspaper, document, or a defined area like a road or a specific department within a larger organization..

secciónA2

Use 'sección' for a distinct part of a whole, such as a section of a book, newspaper, document, or a defined area like a road or a specific department within a larger organization.

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departamento🔊B1

Choose 'departamento' when referring to a specific division or department within a company, university, or larger organization, similar to 'department' in English.

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zona🔊B1

Use 'zona' to describe a specific area, region, or zone within a larger space, often for geographical, administrative, or functional purposes.

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ala🔊B1

Employ 'ala' for a wing of a building, such as a hospital, library, or airport, or metaphorically for a faction within a larger group.

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brazo🔊B1

Use 'brazo' to refer to an arm or branch of a building, organization, or natural feature like a river.

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trozo🔊B1

Opt for 'trozo' when referring to a piece or segment of something continuous, like a piece of music, a slice of cake, or a portion of text.

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English → Spanish

sección

nounA2general
Use 'sección' for a distinct part of a whole, such as a section of a book, newspaper, document, or a defined area like a road or a specific department within a larger organization.

Examples

La nueva sección del museo está dedicada al arte moderno.

The new section of the museum is dedicated to modern art.

departamento

/de-par-ta-MEN-to//depaɾta'mento/

nounB1general
Choose 'departamento' when referring to a specific division or department within a company, university, or larger organization, similar to 'department' in English.
Three distinct, color-coded sections within a large open-plan office, separated by low dividers, representing different departments.

Examples

Mi hermano trabaja en el departamento de finanzas.

My brother works in the finance department.

Trabajo en el departamento de marketing.

I work in the marketing department.

Si tienes una pregunta, llama al departamento de servicio al cliente.

If you have a question, call the customer service department.

La universidad tiene un excelente departamento de historia.

The university has an excellent history department.

Connecting with 'de'

To say what kind of department it is, you connect it with the word 'de'. For example, 'departamento de ventas' (department of sales) or 'departamento de historia' (department of history).

zona

/SO-na//ˈsona/

nounB1general
Use 'zona' to describe a specific area, region, or zone within a larger space, often for geographical, administrative, or functional purposes.
A simple storybook illustration of a human arm with the elbow section distinctly highlighted in a contrasting color, emphasizing that specific localized area.

Examples

Esta zona de la ciudad es muy tranquila por la noche.

This area of the city is very quiet at night.

Me duele la zona lumbar de la espalda.

The lumbar region of my back hurts.

El portero no puede tocar el balón fuera de su zona.

The goalkeeper can't touch the ball outside of his area.

Por favor, limpia la zona afectada con agua y jabón.

Please, clean the affected area with soap and water.

ala

/ah-lah//ˈala/

nounB1general
Employ 'ala' for a wing of a building, such as a hospital, library, or airport, or metaphorically for a faction within a larger group.
A simplified, colorful drawing of a large building with a clearly defined side section extending outwards, representing the wing of the structure.

Examples

El quirófano se encuentra en el ala oeste del hospital.

The operating room is located in the west wing of the hospital.

Tuvimos que ir a la nueva ala de la biblioteca.

We had to go to the new wing of the library.

El hospital inauguró el ala de pediatría el mes pasado.

The hospital inaugurated the pediatrics wing last month.

brazo

BRAH-soh/ˈbɾaθo/

nounB1general
Use 'brazo' to refer to an arm or branch of a building, organization, or natural feature like a river.
An overhead illustration showing a wide blue river dividing cleanly into two smaller branches or streams.

Examples

El río tiene un brazo que se adentra en el bosque.

The river has a branch that goes into the forest.

Este brazo del río es muy profundo.

This branch of the river is very deep.

El robot tiene un brazo mecánico para levantar objetos pesados.

The robot has a mechanical arm for lifting heavy objects.

El arquitecto diseñó un nuevo brazo para el edificio principal.

The architect designed a new wing (or section) for the main building.

trozo

TROH-soh/ˈtɾoso/

nounB1general
Opt for 'trozo' when referring to a piece or segment of something continuous, like a piece of music, a slice of cake, or a portion of text.
A single, brightly colored rectangular panel, similar to a comic book frame, showing a simple character sitting under a large green tree.

Examples

El pianista interpretó un hermoso trozo de Chopin.

The pianist performed a beautiful piece by Chopin.

Me encanta ese trozo de la canción.

I love that section of the song.

El profesor leyó un trozo del Quijote.

The professor read a passage from Don Quixote.

Solo recuerdo un pequeño trozo de nuestra conversación.

I only remember a small bit of our conversation.

Sección vs. Departamento

Learners often confuse 'sección' and 'departamento'. While both can refer to parts of an organization, 'departamento' specifically means a functional division (like Marketing or HR), whereas 'sección' is more general and can apply to parts of books, newspapers, or less formally organized groups.

Related Translations

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