Spanish Conversation · Level 11
90 words
Spanish word
nación
Pronunciation
IPA/naˈθjon/
Meaning
- feminine nouncountry
Example
¿De qué nación eres?
What country are you from?
More examples
La nación celebra su día nacional cada año.
The nation celebrates its national day every year.
Core concept
Territory and people governed by the same government.
Common phrases
nación independiente
independent country
nación soberana
sovereign state
Similar words
país: Territory and its inhabitants referred to in ordinary, everyday terms.
estado: Governmental institutions and legal structures that organize and run a country.
gobierno: Organization and officials who exercise political power in a country.
patria: Native land regarded with strong emotional attachment and personal belonging.
Definition in Spanish
Territorio y población organizados bajo un mismo gobierno y sometidos a las mismas leyes.
Word origin
From Latin natio 'birth', Spanish nación moved from meaning a group born in the same place to the modern sense of an organized community with territory and government.
Usage tips
- In everyday speech país is the usual word for 'country', nación is used when stressing national identity or the people, and estado names the state as a political or legal institution.
Other meanings
- statenoun
- ethnic groupnoun
Related words
- nacionalnationaladjective
- nacionalidadnationalitynoun
- nacionalismonationalismnoun