Spanish Conversation · Level 36
75 words
Spanish word
prisión
Pronunciation
IPA/pɾiˈsjon/
Meaning
- feminine nounprison
Example
Mi amigo está en la prisión.
My friend is in prison.
More examples
¿Conoces a alguien que haya salido de la prisión?
Do you know anyone who has been released from prison?
Core concept
High-walled facility with barred cells and guards.
Common phrases
entrar en la prisión
go to prison
salir de la prisión
be released from prison
cumplir condena en la prisión
serve time in prison
Similar words
cárcel: Local jail building that holds convicted offenders, often for shorter or municipal sentences.
centro penitenciario: Facility for housing inmates with programs focused on rehabilitation and reintegration.
penitenciaría: Large prison intended for long-term incarceration of convicted inmates.
reclusorio: Regional prison used to confine and manage inmates from a specific area.
Definition in Spanish
Institución penitenciaria donde se encierra a personas tras una sentencia judicial o durante procesos penales.
Word origin
Comes from Old French prison 'captivity', ultimately from Latin prehendere 'to seize', and refers to a place where people taken by the authorities are confined.
Usage tips
- Use estar en prisión or estar preso to say someone is incarcerated; prisión commonly implies a long-term penitentiary while cárcel or comisaría can mean a local jail or police lockup.