Spanish vocabulary · Beginner
COLLEGE in Spanish: UNIVERSIDAD
Universidad · noun · oo-nee-behr-see-DAHD
When English speakers refer to college as a place for higher education after high school, the correct Spanish equivalent is universidad. A frequent source of confusion is the word colegio, which looks like a cognate but typically means a primary or secondary school in most Spanish-speaking countries. Understanding this distinction is essential for avoiding misunderstandings in academic conversations.
oo-nee-behr-see-DAHD
Mi hermana estudia medicina en la universidad.
My sister studies medicine at college.
College in Spanish: Quick Reference
Below are the most common Spanish words for college, with pronunciation and regional usage notes.
| Spanish | English | Pronunciation | Region / Register |
|---|---|---|---|
| universidad | college | oo-nee-behr-see-DAHD | Default, widely understood |
| colegio | college | can mean high school or K-12 school in many countries | |
| facultad | college | refers to a specific college within a university |
How Native Speakers Use Universidad
Real example sentences across three contexts you'll actually run into.
Talking about plans
Después de graduarme, quiero ir a la universidad en Madrid.
After graduating, I want to go to college in Madrid.
Shows universidad used for post-secondary education plans.
Asking about majors
¿Qué carrera estudias en la universidad?
What major are you studying in college?
Carrera is the word for major or degree program in this context.
Specific faculty
Ella trabaja en la facultad de derecho.
She works at the law college.
Facultad refers to a specific school or college within a larger university.
Avoid These Mistakes When Using Universidad
False cognate: colegio
Incorrect: Voy al colegio para estudiar ingeniería.
Correct: Voy a la universidad para estudiar ingeniería.
Colegio generally refers to a K-12 school in Spanish, not a university-level institution, making this sentence sound like an elementary student studying engineering.
Gender agreement
Incorrect: El universidad está lejos.
Correct: La universidad está lejos.
Universidad is a feminine noun, so it requires the feminine article la rather than el.
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See Universidad used by native speakers
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Common Questions About College in Spanish
- Why doesn't 'colegio' mean college?
- Despite the visual similarity, colegio evolved differently in Spanish and primarily refers to a school for younger students, while English borrowed the word college from Latin with a higher-education meaning that Spanish never adopted for colegio.
- How do I say 'college student' in Spanish?
- The standard term is estudiante universitario (or universitaria for feminine), which directly conveys that someone attends a university-level institution.
- Is there a difference between universidad and facultad?
- A universidad is the entire institution offering multiple degree programs, while a facultad is one academic division within it, similar to how a university in English contains several colleges or schools.