How to Say "traditional" in Spanish
The most common Spanish word for “traditional” is “tradicional” — use this word when referring to something that has been done or believed in the same way for a long time, especially concerning customs, dishes, or historical practices.
tradicional
trah-dee-syoh-NALtɾaðisjoˈnal
Examples
La paella es un plato tradicional de España.
Paella is a traditional dish from Spain.
Mi abuela sigue las recetas tradicionales para el pan.
My grandmother follows the traditional recipes for bread.
Ellos tienen un estilo de vida muy tradicional.
They have a very traditional lifestyle.
Always Fits the Noun's Number
Like many Spanish adjectives, 'tradicional' must agree in number (singular or plural) with the thing it describes. Since it ends in '-l', you add '-es' to make it plural: 'tradicional' (singular) vs. 'tradicionales' (plural).
Forgetting the Plural Ending
Mistake: “Las costumbres tradicional.”
Correction: Las costumbres tradicionales. (Remember to add the -es when the noun is plural, even if the adjective doesn't change for gender.)
clásico
Examples
Ella tiene un estilo clásico que nunca pasa de moda.
She has a classic style that never goes out of fashion.
conservador
kohn-sehr-bah-DOHRkonseɾβaˈðoɾ
Examples
Mi abuelo es un hombre muy conservador.
My grandfather is a very conservative man.
El banco nos dio un cálculo conservador de las ganancias.
The bank gave us a cautious estimate of the profits.
Prefiero un estilo de vestir más conservador para la oficina.
I prefer a more traditional dressing style for the office.
Word Order
In Spanish, this word usually comes after the person or thing it describes. Say 'un hombre conservador' instead of 'un conservador hombre'.
Matching the Noun
If you are describing more than one person, you must add '-es' to the end: 'Ellos son conservadores'.
Confusion with 'Canned Food'
Mistake: “Comí un conservador.”
Correction: Comí una conserva. Use 'conserva' for canned goods; 'conservador' is only for people or ideas.
convencional
kohn-ben-syoh-NAHLkombenzjoˈnal
Examples
Ella tiene una visión muy convencional de la familia.
She has a very conventional view of the family.
Prefiero la medicina convencional antes que los remedios naturales.
I prefer conventional medicine over natural remedies.
No es un artista convencional; sus obras son muy extrañas.
He is not a conventional artist; his works are very strange.
One Form for All
This word doesn't change for gender. Use 'un hombre convencional' (masculine) and 'una mujer convencional' (feminine). It stays the same regardless of who or what you are describing.
Making it Plural
Since it ends in a consonant (l), you add '-es' to make it plural: 'normas convencionales'.
The 'Convenient' Trap
Mistake: “Using 'convencional' to mean 'handy' or 'useful'.”
Correction: Use 'conveniente' if you want to say something is convenient. 'Convencional' only means standard or traditional.
criollo
kree-OH-yohkɾiˈoʝo
Examples
Me encanta la comida criolla de este restaurante.
I love the local traditional food from this restaurant.
El vals criollo es un baile muy elegante.
The traditional creole waltz is a very elegant dance.
Tienen un estilo muy criollo para decorar su casa.
They have a very traditional local style for decorating their house.
Matching with Nouns
This word changes its ending based on what you are describing. Use 'criollo' for masculine items (el pan criollo) and 'criolla' for feminine items (la comida criolla).
Descriptive Position
Like most adjectives in Spanish that describe a quality, place 'criollo' after the thing you are talking about.
Confusing with 'Creole'
Mistake: “Using 'criollo' only to mean the English concept of Louisiana Creole.”
Correction: In Spanish, 'criollo' is a much broader term that simply means 'local' or 'traditional' to many Latin American countries.
ortodoxo
or-toh-DOH-kohoɾtoˈðokso
Examples
Su método de enseñanza es muy ortodoxo.
His teaching method is very traditional.
No es una solución ortodoxa, pero podría funcionar.
It's not a conventional solution, but it might work.
El economista defendió una visión muy ortodoxa del mercado.
The economist defended a very orthodox view of the market.
Matching Genders
This word changes to 'ortodoxa' when describing feminine things, like 'una idea ortodoxa' (a traditional idea).
Describing Actions
When you want to say something was done in a traditional way, you use the adverb 'ortodoxamente'.
Confusing 'Old' with 'Orthodox'
Mistake: “Using 'ortodoxo' to simply mean 'antiguo' (old).”
Correction: Use 'ortodoxo' when you mean following strict rules or the 'official' way of doing things, not just because something is old.
Tradicional vs. Clásico
Related Translations
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