Spanish word

ayuntamiento

Pronunciation

IPA/aʝuntaˈmjento/

Meaning

  • masculine nouncity hall

Example

Voy al ayuntamiento para hacer un trámite.

I am going to the city hall to take care of some paperwork.

Illustration for ayuntamiento (city hall)

More examples

El ayuntamiento cierra los domingos.

The city hall is closed on Sundays.

Core concept

Municipal council and its offices.

Common phrases

  • ir al ayuntamiento

    go to the city hall

  • hacer un trámite en el ayuntamiento

    do paperwork at the city hall

  • oficina del ayuntamiento

    city hall office

Similar words

municipio: Acts as the administrative unit and territory that forms a town or city.
alcaldía: Functions as the mayor's office and the building where mayoral administration works.
municipalidad: Manages city administration and public services as the municipality's institutional body.
concejo: Operates as a group of elected officials who meet to govern and set local policies.

Definition in Spanish

Órgano representativo del municipio y su sede física, encargado de la administración local, de tomar acuerdos y de atender a la ciudadanía.

Word origin

From the verb ayuntar 'to unite' plus the nominal suffix -amiento, originally meaning 'a gathering' and later applied to the municipal governing body and its seat.

Usage tips

  • In Spain ayuntamiento commonly names both the elected town council (el ayuntamiento aprobó) and the physical town hall, while in many Latin American countries alcaldía or municipalidad are more usual.

Other meanings

  • municipal governmentnoun
  • city councilnoun
  • town hallnoun

Word lists with this word