Inklingo

How to Say "story" in Spanish

English → Spanish

historia

/is-TO-rya//isˈto.ɾja/

NounA2General
Use 'historia' for a general narrative, whether it's a true account, a fictional tale, or even a fabricated excuse or complicated explanation.
A parent reading an imaginative storybook to a child, with fantasy elements appearing around them.

Examples

¿Me cuentas una historia para dormir?

Can you tell me a story to go to sleep?

La película cuenta la historia de un amor imposible.

The movie tells the story of an impossible love.

¡Qué buena historia! ¿Es de verdad?

What a great story! Is it true?

No me vengas con historias, sé que no hiciste la tarea.

Don't give me that story, I know you didn't do the homework.

'Historia' vs. 'Cuento'

Mistake: “Using 'cuento' for a true story or 'historia' for a fairy tale.”

Correction: 'Historia' can be a true story (like your life story) or a fictional one. 'Cuento' almost always means a fictional story, like a fairy tale ('cuento de hadas') or a short story.

cuento

KWEN-toh/ˈkwen̪.t̪o/

NounA1General
Choose 'cuento' specifically for a short, fictional story, often intended for children or as a brief narrative.
A small child listening intently to an adult reading from an open storybook, with imaginative elements like stars floating above the book.

Examples

¿Leemos un cuento antes de acostarnos?

Shall we read a story before going to bed?

Mi abuela siempre me contaba cuentos de hadas.

My grandmother always used to tell me fairy tales.

Este escritor es famoso por sus cuentos cortos.

This writer is famous for his short stories.

Masculine Noun

Even though 'historia' (story) is feminine, 'cuento' is always a masculine noun. Use 'el cuento' or 'un cuento'.

piso

/pee-so//ˈpiso/

NounA2General
Use 'piso' when referring to a floor or level in a building, especially in Latin America.
A vertical cross-section illustration of a small building, clearly showing three distinct horizontal levels stacked upon each other.

Examples

La oficina del jefe está en el quinto piso.

The boss's office is on the fifth floor.

Vivimos en un edificio de diez pisos.

We live in a ten-story building.

Ordinal Numbers

To say which floor, you often use numbers that show order, like 'primero' (first), 'segundo' (second), 'tercero' (third), etc.

First Floor Confusion

Mistake: “Assuming 'primer piso' is the ground floor.”

Correction: In Spain and many other places, the ground floor is 'la planta baja'. 'El primer piso' is the floor *above* the ground floor (like the 'first floor' in British English or the 'second floor' in American English).

planta

PLAN-tah/ˈplan.ta/

NounA2General
Use 'planta' when referring to a floor or level in a building, particularly common in Spain.
A simplified cross-section view of a building showing two distinct horizontal levels or stories.

Examples

La sala de conferencias está en la quinta planta.

The conference room is on the fifth floor.

Vamos a subir a la planta de arriba por las escaleras.

We are going up to the floor above using the stairs.

Counting Floors

In Spain and many parts of Latin America, 'planta baja' is the ground level. The floor immediately above that is the 'primera planta' (first floor).

Confusing 'Planta' and 'Piso'

Mistake: “Using 'piso' to mean the story of a building when 'planta' is more common in that context, especially in Spain.”

Correction: While 'piso' works, 'planta' specifically refers to the level. 'Piso' often means the apartment itself.

Narrative vs. Building Level

The most common mistake is using 'historia' or 'cuento' when you actually mean a floor of a building. Remember that 'piso' and 'planta' are the correct terms for building levels, not narrative stories.

Related Translations

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