Spanish vocabulary · Beginner
How to Say Captain in Spanish: Capitán
Capitán · noun (masculine) · kah-pee-TAHN
Captain in Spanish is capitán (masculine) or capitana (feminine), used for military leaders, ship commanders, and sports team leaders.
Capitán is kah-pee-TAHN, with the stress on the final syllable.
El capitán del barco anunció que llegaríamos en dos horas.
The ship's captain announced we would arrive in two hours.
Captain in Spanish: Quick Reference
Below are the most common Spanish words for captain, with pronunciation and regional usage notes.
| Spanish | English | Pronunciation | Region / Register |
|---|---|---|---|
| capitán | captain | kah-pee-TAHN | Default, widely understood |
| capitana | captain | feminine form |
How Native Speakers Use Capitán
Real example sentences across three contexts you'll actually run into.
Sports team
La capitana del equipo levantó el trofeo con orgullo.
The team captain lifted the trophy with pride.
Capitana for a female captain.
Military rank
Fue ascendido a capitán después de diez años de servicio.
He was promoted to captain after ten years of service.
Military hierarchy.
Airplane pilot
El capitán informó sobre las condiciones climáticas.
The captain informed about the weather conditions.
Pilots are also called capitán.
Avoid These Mistakes When Using Capitán
Forgetting the accent
Incorrect: El capitan del equipo habló.
Correct: El capitán del equipo habló.
Capitán requires a written accent on the final syllable because it is an aguda word ending in n.
Using capitán for all leaders
Incorrect: Ella es el capitán del grupo.
Correct: Ella es la capitana del grupo.
When referring to a woman, use the feminine form capitana.
Lock in Captain Vocabulary with the Parrot Method
Why word lists alone don't stick
Memorizing a translation feels productive, but most learners forget 70% of what they studied within 48 hours. Vocabulary needs spaced repetition AND real-world exposure to transfer to long-term memory.
See Capitán used by native speakers
Parrot's short-form videos feature native speakers using capitán in real situations. Context-based exposure beats flashcards, you hear El capitán del barco anunció que llegaríamos en dos horas. while watching someone live the moment, connecting meaning, sound, and rhythm at once.
Save, review, repeat, stay consistent
Tap any word to save it. Parrot's spaced-repetition system surfaces it right before you'd forget, no manual flashcard creation. The watch, parrot back, save, review cycle turns recognition into fluency at 2.7x the speed of traditional study.
Common Questions About Captain in Spanish
- How do you say captain in Spanish?
- Captain is capitán (masculine) or capitana (feminine), applicable to military officers, ship commanders, airplane pilots, and sports team leaders.
- Does capitán lose its accent in plural?
- In the plural, capitanes does not carry a written accent because the stress pattern follows regular rules for words ending in -es.
- How is capitán used in sports?
- In team sports, the capitán or capitana wears the armband and represents the team, much like in English-speaking countries.