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How to Say "station" in Spanish

The most common Spanish word for “station” is “estación” — use this for general transportation hubs like train, bus, or metro stations, and also for radio or TV stations, power plants, or research bases.

English → Spanish

estación

nounA1general
Use this for general transportation hubs like train, bus, or metro stations, and also for radio or TV stations, power plants, or research bases.

Examples

¿Dónde está la estación de tren?

Where is the train station?

parada

pah-RAH-dahpaˈɾaða

nounA1general
Use this for a simple, local stop, most commonly a bus stop.
A vibrant illustration of a bus stop sign marked by a simple pole and sign, indicating a public transport halt.

Examples

La parada de autobús está justo aquí al lado.

The bus stop is right next door here.

¿Dónde está la parada de taxis más cercana?

Where is the nearest taxi stand?

Gender Reminder

Even though it ends in 'a', remember that this word is feminine, so you always use 'la parada' or 'una parada'.

terminal

tehr-mee-NAHLteɾmiˈnal

nounA2general
Use this for a larger bus or train station, often implying the end of a route.
A large, brightly colored articulated bus parked at a covered station platform, clearly indicating a central transport hub where passengers wait.

Examples

Llegamos a la terminal de autobuses una hora antes de la salida.

We arrived at the bus terminal one hour before departure.

La terminal 2 del aeropuerto está muy lejos de aquí.

Airport Terminal 2 is very far from here.

Hay que cambiar de tren en la terminal principal.

You have to change trains at the main station.

Gender Note

Even though 'terminal' ends in -l, it is usually feminine (la terminal) when referring to a transport station in Latin America and Spain.

canal

kah-NAHLkaˈnal

nounA1general
Use this specifically for a TV or radio channel.
A simple, vintage-style television set displaying a bright, colorful cartoon image of a smiling sun on its screen.

Examples

¿En qué canal están dando el partido de fútbol?

What channel is the soccer game on?

Mi canal de noticias favorito es el 5.

My favorite news channel is channel 5.

Gender Reminder

Remember that 'canal' is a masculine noun, so you must use 'el' or 'un' with it: 'El canal nuevo' (The new channel).

jefatura

heh-fah-TOO-rahxefaˈtuɾa

nounB1formal
Use this to refer to the headquarters of police or traffic authorities.
A large, impressive building with a grand entrance and a flag, standing in a town square.

Examples

Tienes que ir a la jefatura de policía para denunciar el robo.

You have to go to the police headquarters to report the robbery.

La jefatura de tráfico está en el centro de la ciudad.

The traffic department headquarters is in the city center.

Nos reunimos en la jefatura de ventas a las diez.

We are meeting at the sales headquarters at ten.

Talking about Locations

When 'jefatura' refers to a building, it is often followed by 'de' and the name of the department (e.g., Jefatura de Policía).

Using 'Headquarters' as Plural

Mistake: “Las jefaturas de policía está allí.”

Correction: La jefatura de policía está allí.

central

sen-TRAHLθenˈtral

nounB1general
Use this for a main bus or train station, often as a shortened form of 'estación central', or for a headquarters or command center.
A large, imposing, main administrative building with a flagpole in front of it, clearly dominating smaller surrounding buildings, symbolizing a headquarters.

Examples

Llamé a la central para solicitar más información.

I called the headquarters to request more information.

La compañía trasladó su central a la capital.

The company moved its main office to the capital.

Feminine Noun

When used as a noun meaning 'headquarters,' 'central' is always feminine: 'la central'.

Estación vs. Parada vs. Terminal

Learners often confuse 'estación', 'parada', and 'terminal' for transportation. Remember that 'estación' is the most general term for a station, 'parada' is for a small local stop (like a bus stop), and 'terminal' usually refers to a larger station, often at the end of a line.

Related Translations

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