Spanish Conversation · Level 10
88 words
Spanish word
continente
Pronunciation
IPA/kontiˈnente/
Meaning
- masculine nouncontinent
Example
¿De qué continente eres?
What continent are you from?
More examples
El continente africano tiene una gran diversidad cultural.
The African continent has great cultural diversity.
Core concept
Large continuous area of land separated from others by oceans.
Common phrases
el continente africano
the African continent
el continente asiático
the Asian continent
el continente europeo
the European continent
Similar words
país: Sovereign state with defined borders and its own government.
isla: Landmass completely surrounded by water.
tierra: Earth's dry land area, the solid surface of soil and rock.
archipiélago: Cluster of islands grouped together as a single geographic unit.
Definition in Spanish
Unidad geográfica formada por una masa continua de tierra firme que se distingue de otras por océanos o mares.
Word origin
From Latin continēns 'holding together', from continēre 'to hold together', originally naming a connected piece of land.
Usage tips
- In island contexts Spanish often contrasts 'el continente' with 'la isla' to mean the mainland, and '¿De qué continente eres?' asks which continent someone is from rather than which country.
Other meanings
- mainlandnoun
Related words
- continentalcontinentaladjective
- intercontinentalintercontinentaladjective