Spanish word

nativo

Pronunciation

IPA/naˈtiβo/

Meaning

  • masculine nounnative speaker

Example

Ella es nativa del español.

She is a native speaker of Spanish.

Illustration for nativo (native speaker)

More examples

Para mejorar la fluidez, intenta hablar con un nativo regularmente.

To improve fluency, try talking to a native speaker regularly.

Core concept

Member of a speech community where a language is the principal everyday language.

Common phrases

  • hablar con un nativo

    talk to a native speaker

  • practicar con un nativo

    practice with a native speaker

  • un nativo del país

    a native of the country

Similar words

hablante nativo: Person whose mother tongue is the language.
bilingüe: Person who uses two or more languages regularly in everyday life.
extranjero: Person from a country different from the one where they live.

Definition in Spanish

Persona nacida o criada en un entorno donde una lengua es la principal forma de comunicación.

Word origin

From Latin nativus 'born', the word broadens in Spanish from 'born' to membership in a community where a language functions as the main means of communication.

Usage tips

  • When referring to language ability, 'nativo' can be ambiguous with 'native of a place', so pairing it with 'hablante' or specifying the language avoids misunderstanding.

Other meanings

  • localadjective

Opposites

Word lists with this word