Spanish vocabulary · Beginner
Habits in Spanish: Hábitos
Hábitos · noun · AH-bee-tohs
Hábitos is the Spanish word for habits, covering both positive routines and negative patterns. Costumbres overlaps with habits but leans toward customs or traditions passed down culturally. Manías refers to quirks or obsessive habits, often with a slightly negative or humorous tone.
Pronounce hábitos as AH-bee-tohs, with the stress on the first syllable. The h is silent in Spanish, so the word begins with an open a sound.
Los buenos hábitos se construyen con disciplina.
Good habits are built with discipline.
Habits in Spanish: Quick Reference
Below are the most common Spanish words for habits, with pronunciation and regional usage notes.
| Spanish | English | Pronunciation | Region / Register |
|---|---|---|---|
| hábitos | habits | AH-bee-tohs | Default, widely understood |
| costumbres | habits | customs or habits — emphasizes tradition | |
| manías | habits | quirks or persistent habits, often negative |
How Native Speakers Use Hábitos
Real example sentences across three contexts you'll actually run into.
Healthy habits
Quiero cambiar mis hábitos alimenticios este año.
I want to change my eating habits this year.
Hábitos alimenticios (eating habits) is a common collocation in health-related Spanish.
Cultural customs
Las costumbres de cada país reflejan su historia y valores.
The customs of each country reflect its history and values.
Costumbres is preferred over hábitos when referring to culturally ingrained traditions.
Quirky personal habits
Tiene la manía de revisar su teléfono cada cinco minutos.
He has the habit of checking his phone every five minutes.
Manía implies an obsessive or slightly annoying habit, stronger than a simple hábito.
Avoid These Mistakes When Using Hábitos
Forgetting the silent h
Incorrect: Los abitos saludables son importantes.
Correct: Los hábitos saludables son importantes.
While the h is silent in pronunciation, it must always be written. Dropping the h is a spelling error, and the accent mark on the a is also required.
Confusing hábitos with costumbres in all contexts
Incorrect: Tengo la costumbre de hacer ejercicio. (when meaning a deliberate routine)
Correct: Tengo el hábito de hacer ejercicio.
Costumbre implies a custom or tradition, something culturally or socially ingrained. Hábito emphasizes a deliberate, personal routine. For intentional self-improvement habits, hábito is more precise.
Lock in Habits 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 Hábitos used by native speakers
Parrot's short-form videos feature native speakers using hábitos in real situations. Context-based exposure beats flashcards, you hear Los buenos hábitos se construyen con disciplina. while watching someone live the moment, connecting meaning, sound, and rhythm at once.
Save, review, repeat, stay consistent
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Common Questions About Habits in Spanish
- How do you say habits in Spanish?
- Habits in Spanish is hábitos (singular: hábito). The word is a direct cognate of the English habit and is used for personal routines, behavioral patterns, and even religious habits (the garment worn by monks and nuns).
- What is the difference between hábito and costumbre?
- Hábito refers to a personal, often deliberate routine or behavioral pattern. Costumbre leans toward a custom or tradition, something passed down or culturally shared. You can have a hábito of exercising daily, but a costumbre of eating grapes on New Year's Eve is cultural.
- How do you say bad habits in Spanish?
- Bad habits in Spanish is malos hábitos or vicios. Vicios is stronger and implies addictive or destructive habits, while malos hábitos is more neutral and can refer to anything from nail-biting to poor sleep routines.