Spanish word

materia

Pronunciation

IPA/maˈteɾja/

Meaning

  • feminine nounsubject

Example

¿Cuál es tu materia favorita?

What is your favorite subject?

Illustration for materia (subject)

More examples

Me inscribí en una materia optativa este semestre.

I enrolled in an elective subject this semester.

Core concept

Textbook spines labeled with school subjects.

Common phrases

  • materia optativa

    elective subject

  • inscribirse en la materia

    enroll in the subject

  • cursar la materia

    take the subject

Similar words

asignatura: Subject that is officially listed in a school's or university's curriculum.
clase: Single lesson session that takes place in a classroom.
curso: Course of lessons that runs over a set period.
disciplina: Branch of knowledge studied and researched within academia.

Definition in Spanish

Unidad de estudio que agrupa contenidos y temas enseñados en la escuela o la universidad; en otro uso, material o sustancia física.

Word origin

From Latin materia 'matter, material', which originally refers to physical substance and later extends to the 'matter' studied, giving the modern sense of a field of study.

Usage tips

  • Although it looks like English material, in Spanish 'materia' commonly means a school subject, so answers to '¿Cuál es tu materia favorita?' are usually a subject name such as Historia or Matemáticas.

Other meanings

  • substancenoun
  • materialnoun

Related words

Word lists with this word