Inklingo

How to Say "subsidiary" in Spanish

English → Spanish

sucursal

/soo-koor-SAL//su.kuɾ.ˈsal/

nounB1general
Use 'sucursal' for a branch of a business, especially banks, or for any business location that is not the main headquarters.
A modern building with large glass windows and a prominent logo, representing a local branch of a company.

Examples

¿Dónde está la sucursal más cercana de este banco?

Where is the nearest branch of this bank?

La empresa va a abrir tres sucursales nuevas en el norte del país.

The company is going to open three new branches in the north of the country.

Fui a la sucursal de correos pero estaba cerrada por ser festivo.

I went to the post office branch but it was closed because it was a holiday.

Always Feminine

Even though it doesn't end in 'a', this word is feminine. Always use 'la sucursal' or 'una sucursal'.

Making it Plural

To make it plural, add '-es' to the end because it ends in a consonant: 'sucursales'.

Not for Trees

Mistake:La sucursal del árbol es larga.

Correction: La rama del árbol es larga.

filial

/fee-lee-AHL//fiˈljal/

nounB2business
Use 'filial' when referring to a company that is owned or controlled by a larger parent company, emphasizing the hierarchical relationship.
A large building with a smaller, identical building next to it, connected by a simple path.

Examples

La empresa abrió una nueva filial en México.

The company opened a new subsidiary in Mexico.

Nuestra filial francesa reportó grandes beneficios este año.

Our French subsidiary reported great profits this year.

El banco tiene filiales en todo el mundo.

The bank has branches all over the world.

Gender of the company

Even though it doesn't end in 'a', this noun is feminine: 'la filial'. This is because it refers to 'la empresa' (the company).

Filial vs. Sucursal

Mistake:Thinking 'filial' and 'sucursal' are exactly the same.

Correction: A 'filial' is usually its own separate company owned by a bigger one, while a 'sucursal' is just a local shop or office of the same company.

Filial vs. Sucursal

Learners often confuse 'filial' and 'sucursal' because both can mean 'branch'. Remember that 'filial' specifically implies ownership and control by a parent company, while 'sucursal' is a more general term for any business location or branch.

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