Spanish vocabulary · Intermediate
Court in Spanish: Tribunal, Cancha, Corte & Patio
Tribunal · noun (masculine) · tree-boo-NAHL
Court in Spanish has several translations depending on context. For legal settings use tribunal (Spain) or corte (Latin America). For sports, cancha is the go-to word. A courtyard is simply a patio.
tree-boo-NAHL for tribunal. KAHN-chah for cancha. KOR-teh for corte.
El tribunal dictó sentencia a favor del demandante.
The court ruled in favor of the plaintiff.
Court in Spanish: Quick Reference
Below are the most common Spanish words for court, with pronunciation and regional usage notes.
| Spanish | English | Pronunciation | Region / Register |
|---|---|---|---|
| tribunal | court | tree-boo-NAHL | Default, widely understood |
| corte | court | Latin America (legal court) | |
| cancha | court | sports court | |
| patio | court | courtyard |
How Native Speakers Use Tribunal
Real example sentences across three contexts you'll actually run into.
Legal context
La corte suprema revisará el caso la próxima semana.
The supreme court will review the case next week.
Referring to a high court in Latin America.
Sports context
Reservé la cancha de tenis para las cuatro de la tarde.
I reserved the tennis court for four in the afternoon.
Booking a sports facility.
Architectural context
El hotel tiene un patio interior con una fuente hermosa.
The hotel has an interior courtyard with a beautiful fountain.
Describing a building's courtyard.
Avoid These Mistakes When Using Tribunal
Using corte for a sports court
Incorrect: Vamos a jugar baloncesto en la corte.
Correct: Vamos a jugar baloncesto en la cancha.
Corte refers to a legal court in Spanish. A sports court is cancha. Using corte for sports is a common anglicism to avoid.
Gender confusion with corte
Incorrect: El corte dictó la sentencia.
Correct: La corte dictó la sentencia.
When corte means court (legal), it is feminine: la corte. Note that el corte (masculine) means 'the cut,' which is a different word entirely.
Lock in Court 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 Tribunal used by native speakers
Parrot's short-form videos feature native speakers using tribunal in real situations. Context-based exposure beats flashcards, you hear El tribunal dictó sentencia a favor del demandante. 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 Court in Spanish
- What is the difference between tribunal and corte?
- Both mean legal court. Tribunal is standard in Spain and also used across Latin America for specific courts (tribunal de justicia). Corte is more common in everyday Latin American Spanish, especially for higher courts like la Corte Suprema.
- How do I say basketball court in Spanish?
- Say cancha de baloncesto. In some countries you may also hear cancha de básquetbol. The word cancha works for tennis courts, basketball courts, and other playing fields.
- Does patio always mean courtyard?
- Patio primarily means an enclosed or semi-enclosed courtyard, especially in traditional Spanish architecture. It can also refer to a backyard area or a schoolyard (patio de recreo).