Spanish Conversation · Level 35
75 words
Spanish word
indio
Pronunciation
IPA/ˈindjo/
Meaning
- masculine nounIndian
Example
Conocí a un indio en el tren.
I met an Indian on the train.
More examples
El indio local nos recomendó un buen restaurante.
The local Indian recommended a good restaurant to us.
Core concept
Person from India.
Common phrases
el indio local
the local Indian
una familia de indios
a family of Indians
Similar words
indígena: Person whose ancestors are original inhabitants of a region.
hindú: Person who practices the Hindu religion.
asiático: Person originating from Asia.
Definition in Spanish
Puede significar «persona de la India» y, por uso histórico en América, «miembro de pueblos indígenas», aunque hoy ese uso puede considerarse ofensivo.
Word origin
From Latin Indus via Old Spanish, originally naming people from the Indian subcontinent and later used by explorers to refer to peoples encountered in the Americas.
Usage tips
- In Spain indio usually means someone from India, but in many parts of Latin America using indio for indigenous people can be pejorative, so prefer indígena or a specific ethnic name.
Other meanings
- indigenous personnoun