How to Say "university" in Spanish
The most common Spanish word for “university” is “universidad” — use 'universidad' when referring to the institution or establishment of higher education where students pursue degrees..
universidad
/oo-nee-behr-see-DAHD//unibeɾsiˈðad/
Examples
Mi hermana estudia en la universidad.
My sister studies at the university.
Me gustaría ir a una universidad en España.
I would like to go to a university in Spain.
La universidad ofrece muchos cursos interesantes.
The university offers many interesting courses.
Always Feminine
The word 'universidad' is always feminine. This means you should always use feminine words like 'la', 'una', or 'esta' with it. For example, 'la universidad es grande' (the university is big).
Confusing 'universidad' and 'colegio'
Mistake: “Estudio biología en el colegio.”
Correction: Estudio biología en la universidad. In Spanish, 'colegio' almost always means high school or a younger school. For higher education, you must use 'universidad'.
universitario
/oo-nee-behr-see-tah-ryoh//uniβersiˈtaɾjo/
Examples
El campus universitario es muy grande y moderno.
The university campus is very big and modern.
Ella recibió un título universitario el año pasado.
She received a university degree last year.
Me gusta el ambiente universitario de esta ciudad.
I like the university vibe of this city.
Placement after the noun
In Spanish, this word usually comes after the person or thing it describes, like saying 'the student university' instead of 'the university student'.
Matching the gender
Since this word ends in 'o', it changes to 'universitaria' if the thing it is describing is feminine (like 'la vida').
Using 'de universidad' too much
Mistake: “Using 'el libro de universidad'.”
Correction: Say 'el libro universitario' to sound more natural, as Spanish prefers the adjective form.
Noun vs. Adjective
Related Translations
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