Inklingo

How to Say "street" in Spanish

English → Spanish

calle

/KAH-yeh//ˈka.ʝe/

NounA1General
Use 'calle' when referring to a public road in a city or town where people live or businesses are located.
A colorful, simple illustration of a narrow city street lined with small, vibrant buildings under a clear sky.

Examples

Mi casa está en la calle Principal.

My house is on Main Street.

Hay mucho tráfico en esta calle.

There is a lot of traffic on this street.

Los niños están jugando en la calle.

The children are playing in the street.

Always 'la calle'

Even though it ends in '-e', 'calle' is a feminine word. So, you always say 'la calle' (the street) or 'una calle' (a street).

'Calle' vs. 'Carretera'

Mistake: “Conduzco por la calle para ir a la otra ciudad.”

Correction: Use 'calle' for roads inside a town or city. For bigger roads connecting different towns, use 'carretera' (highway). Correct: 'Conduzco por la carretera para ir a la otra ciudad.'

callejero

/kah-yeh-heh-ro//kaʝeˈxeɾo/

AdjectiveA2General
Use 'callejero' to describe something or someone that belongs to or lives on the street, such as a stray animal or street art.
A friendly scruffy dog sitting on a cobblestone city sidewalk.

Examples

Adoptamos a un perro callejero que vivía en el parque.

We adopted a stray dog that lived in the park.

Me gusta mucho el arte callejero de este barrio.

I really like the street art in this neighborhood.

Los gatos callejeros suelen salir de noche.

Stray cats usually come out at night.

Matching the Noun

Since this is an adjective, it must change its ending to match the thing you are describing. Use 'callejero' for masculine things (perro) and 'callejera' for feminine things (gata).

Position Matters

Usually, 'callejero' comes after the noun it describes, just like most adjectives in Spanish (e.g., 'músico callejero').

Using 'callejero' for people

Mistake: “Ese hombre es muy callejero (meaning he is homeless).”

Correction: Use 'persona sin hogar' for a homeless person. Calling a person 'callejero' usually means they just love being out of the house, not that they don't have a home.

Confusing 'calle' and 'callejero'

The most common mistake is using 'callejero' when you mean a specific street. Remember, 'calle' is the road itself, while 'callejero' describes things *related* to the street, like a stray dog or street life.

Related Translations

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