Spanish word

principiante

Pronunciation

IPA/pɾinθiˈpjante/

Meaning

  • noun (m./f.)beginner

Example

Soy principiante en español.

I am a beginner in Spanish.

Illustration for principiante (beginner)

More examples

Al principio fui principiante, pero ahora puedo mantener conversaciones sencillas.

At first I was a beginner, but now I can hold simple conversations.

Core concept

Person on the first rung of a ladder.

Common phrases

  • ser principiante

    be a beginner

  • principiante en español

    beginner in Spanish

  • nivel principiante

    beginner level

Similar words

novato: Inexperienced person at the start of a professional role with little practice.
aprendiz: Person undergoing hands-on training to develop practical skills and know-how.
iniciado: Beginner who has only recently started and retains only foundational knowledge.

Definition in Spanish

Persona que se encuentra en el comienzo de una actividad o disciplina, con experiencia limitada y en proceso de aprendizaje.

Word origin

The word comes from Latin principium 'beginning' plus the agentive suffix -ante, so it denotes a person at the start of an activity.

Usage tips

  • Principiante uses the same form for masculine and feminine, so mark gender with the article or an adjective rather than changing the noun.

Other meanings

  • novicenoun
  • learnernoun

Opposites

  • expertoexpertnoun
  • avanzadoadvanced learnernoun

Related words

Word lists with this word