How to Say "star" in Spanish
The most common Spanish word for “star” is “estrella” — use 'estrella' for a celestial body in the sky, a famous performer or celebrity, or a rating symbol (like in hotels)..
estrella
/es-TREH-yah//esˈtɾe.ʝa/
Examples
Por la noche, me gusta mirar las estrellas.
At night, I like to look at the stars.
El sol es la estrella más importante de nuestro sistema solar.
The sun is the most important star in our solar system.
Pedí un deseo cuando vi la estrella fugaz.
I made a wish when I saw the shooting star.
Mi actor favorito es una gran estrella de cine.
My favorite actor is a big movie star.
Always a Feminine Word
'Estrella' is a feminine noun, so you always use 'la' or 'una' with it. For example, 'la estrella' (the star) or 'una estrella brillante' (a bright star).
Feminine Even for Men
Even if you're talking about a male celebrity, the word 'estrella' itself stays feminine. You say, 'Él es una estrella famosa' (He is a famous star).
Using 'un' for a male star
Mistake: “Él es un estrella de Hollywood.”
Correction: Él es una estrella de Hollywood. The word 'estrella' is always feminine, no matter who it describes.
estrella
/es-TREH-yah//esˈtɾe.ʝa/
Examples
Mi actor favorito es una gran estrella de cine.
My favorite actor is a big movie star.
Por la noche, me gusta mirar las estrellas.
At night, I like to look at the stars.
El sol es la estrella más importante de nuestro sistema solar.
The sun is the most important star in our solar system.
Pedí un deseo cuando vi la estrella fugaz.
I made a wish when I saw the shooting star.
Always a Feminine Word
'Estrella' is a feminine noun, so you always use 'la' or 'una' with it. For example, 'la estrella' (the star) or 'una estrella brillante' (a bright star).
Feminine Even for Men
Even if you're talking about a male celebrity, the word 'estrella' itself stays feminine. You say, 'Él es una estrella famosa' (He is a famous star).
Using 'un' for a male star
Mistake: “Él es un estrella de Hollywood.”
Correction: Él es una estrella de Hollywood. The word 'estrella' is always feminine, no matter who it describes.
ídolo
Examples
Lionel Messi es el ídolo de millones de niños.
Lionel Messi is the idol of millions of children.
crack
/krak//ˈkɾak/
Examples
Messi es un crack en el fútbol.
Messi is a star at soccer.
¡Eres un crack! Gracias por arreglar mi ordenador.
You're a legend! Thanks for fixing my computer.
Mi hermana es una crack de las matemáticas.
My sister is a math whiz.
Using 'crack' for anyone
Although it is a masculine word ('un crack'), you can use it to describe both men and women. It is a way to say someone is the best at what they do.
Don't use it for 'breaks'
Mistake: “Using 'crack' to talk about a break in a wall or glass.”
Correction: In Spanish, a physical break or fissure is called a 'grieta' or 'raja.' Only use 'crack' for talented people or specific drug contexts.
estrella
/es-TREH-yah//esˈtɾe.ʝa/
Examples
Nos quedamos en un hotel de cinco estrellas.
We stayed in a five-star hotel.
Por la noche, me gusta mirar las estrellas.
At night, I like to look at the stars.
El sol es la estrella más importante de nuestro sistema solar.
The sun is the most important star in our solar system.
Pedí un deseo cuando vi la estrella fugaz.
I made a wish when I saw the shooting star.
Always a Feminine Word
'Estrella' is a feminine noun, so you always use 'la' or 'una' with it. For example, 'la estrella' (the star) or 'una estrella brillante' (a bright star).
Feminine Even for Men
Even if you're talking about a male celebrity, the word 'estrella' itself stays feminine. You say, 'Él es una estrella famosa' (He is a famous star).
Using 'un' for a male star
Mistake: “Él es un estrella de Hollywood.”
Correction: Él es una estrella de Hollywood. The word 'estrella' is always feminine, no matter who it describes.
as
/ahs//as/
Examples
Ese piloto es un as de la Fórmula 1.
That driver is an ace/star of Formula 1.
La nueva abogada resultó ser un as en la corte.
The new lawyer turned out to be an ace in court.
Gender Usage
When referring to a person (male or female), 'as' always uses the masculine article ('un as', 'el as'), even if the person is female. For example: 'Ella es el as del equipo' (She is the team's ace).
Using the Feminine Article
Mistake: “La as del fútbol.”
Correction: El as del fútbol. Remember, the noun 'as' itself is masculine, even if the person it describes is a woman.
leyenda
leh-YEHN-dah/leˈʝen̪.da/
Examples
Diego Maradona es una leyenda del fútbol argentino.
Diego Maradona is a legend of Argentine soccer.
La actriz se retiró después de convertirse en una leyenda viva.
The actress retired after becoming a living legend.
Gender Note
When referring to a person, 'leyenda' is still grammatically feminine, even if the person is a man (e.g., 'El jugador es una leyenda').
famoso
fah-MOH-soh/faˈmoso/
Examples
Los famosos tienen una vida muy ocupada.
Celebrities have very busy lives.
Mi hermana quiere ser una famosa de la televisión.
My sister wants to be a TV star (a famous person on TV).
Vimos a un famoso comiendo en el restaurante.
We saw a celebrity eating at the restaurant.
Adjective Acting as a Noun
In Spanish, you can often use an adjective like 'famoso' directly as a noun simply by adding the article (el, la, los, las) in front of it. This lets you talk about the person or thing that has that quality.
fenómeno
Examples
Dicen que el nuevo delantero es un fenómeno; marca goles en cada partido.
They say the new forward is a star; he scores goals in every game.
Estrella vs. Crack for Skilled People
Related Translations
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