Spanish Conversation · Level 123
60 words
Spanish word
párroco
Pronunciation
IPA/ˈparoko/
Meaning
- masculine nounparish priest
Example
Conocí al párroco después de la misa.
I met the parish priest after Mass.
More examples
El párroco visitó a la familia tras el funeral.
The parish priest visited the family after the funeral.
Core concept
Priest who leads a parish and cares for its local congregation.
Common phrases
hablar con el párroco
talk to the parish priest
el párroco de la iglesia
the parish priest of the church
el párroco local
the local parish priest
Similar words
sacerdote: Catholic priest who celebrates Mass and administers sacraments to a church community.
cura: Priest serving a small parish who leads daily Mass and provides hands-on pastoral care.
padre: Priest affectionately called 'father' by parishioners.
vicario: Priest who assists the parish head, carrying out delegated duties as deputy.
Definition in Spanish
Sacerdote que tiene a su cargo una parroquia y sus feligreses, actuando como pastor y administrador local.
Word origin
From Church Latin parochus, ultimately from Greek paroikos 'neighbor, community member', originally naming the clergyman responsible for a parish.
Usage tips
- In everyday conversation many speakers prefer padre or cura, while párroco appears more in formal or administrative church contexts.