Spanish Conversation · Level 107
60 words
Spanish word
portero
Pronunciation
IPA/poɾˈteɾo/
Meaning
- masculine noundoorman
Example
El portero del edificio controló la entrada.
The building's doorman controlled the entrance.
More examples
Por la tarde, el portero abrió la puerta a los repartidores.
In the afternoon, the doorman opened the door to the delivery drivers.
Core concept
Doorman at a building entrance holding keys and an intercom.
Common phrases
portero de seguridad
security guard
portero del edificio
doorman of the building
portero de noche
night doorman
Similar words
conserje: Looks after building upkeep and residents' needs, handling small repairs and simple visitor tasks.
encargado: Supervises operations in a shop or facility, directing staff and bearing responsibility for tasks.
recepcionista: Welcomes and directs visitors at a company or hotel desk, handles calls and schedules.
guardia: Guards a building or site, monitoring access and patrolling to keep people and property safe.
Definition in Spanish
Persona responsable de la vigilancia y apertura de las puertas de un edificio, que recibe visitas y controla accesos; por extensión, se llama portero al guardameta en fútbol.
Word origin
From Latin porta 'door' plus the agentive suffix -ero, originally naming someone who guarded or attended a doorway.
Usage tips
- In everyday Spanish el portero usually denotes the building doorman or concierge rather than a receptionist, while in football contexts it refers to the goalkeeper.