Spanish word

lengua

Pronunciation

IPA/ˈleŋgwa/

Meaning

  • feminine nounlanguage

Example

¿Qué lengua hablas?

What language do you speak?

Illustration for lengua (language)

More examples

Necesito practicar la lengua para comunicarme mejor.

I need to practice the language to communicate better.

Core concept

Circle of people sharing one speech bubble.

Common phrases

  • saber una lengua

    know a language

  • practicar la lengua

    practice the language

Similar words

idioma: Official or national language variety associated with a country or region.
lenguaje: Means of expressing ideas through words and expressions, including styles and registers.
habla: Spoken utterances or the practical way people speak in everyday contexts.
dialecto: Local or social variety of speech that differs in pronunciation, words, or grammar.

Definition in Spanish

Sistema de comunicación de una comunidad humana, formado por palabras y reglas para hablar o escribir.

Word origin

From Latin lingua 'tongue', originally the speaking organ, the word was extended in the Romance languages to mean a system of words and rules and became Spanish lengua.

Usage tips

  • Lengua frequently means both 'language' and the physical tongue, and idioma is the safer choice for formal or official contexts while lengua appears often in everyday phrases like lengua materna.

Other meanings

  • tonguenoun

Word lists with this word