How do you say high school in Spanish?

It depends on the country: preparatoria (Mexico), bachillerato (Spain, Colombia), liceo (Venezuela, Chile, Uruguay), secundaria (Argentina, many others). There is no single universal term.

What is the difference between preparatoria and secundaria in Mexico?

In Mexico, secundaria is middle school (ages 12–15, three years) while preparatoria (prepa) is high school (ages 15–18, three years). They are two distinct educational stages.

What does bachillerato mean?

Bachillerato is the upper secondary education stage, typically the last two years before university. In Spain it follows ESO (Educación Secundaria Obligatoria). In Colombia, it covers all of secondary school (grades 6–11).

Spanish vocabulary · Beginner

How to Say High School in Spanish: Preparatoria, Secundaria, Bachillerato

Written by Sofia Ramirez, Lead Spanish Curriculum Editor · Reviewed May 2026

Preparatoria · noun (feminine) · preh-pah-rah-TOH-ryah

High school in Spanish varies by country. In Mexico, it is preparatoria (or prepa informally). In Spain it is bachillerato or instituto. In Venezuela, Chile, and Uruguay it is liceo. Secundaria covers the concept in many other countries. All refer to the educational stage before university.

Preparatoria: preh-pah-rah-TOH-ryah — six syllables, stress on TOH. Prepa: PREH-pah (informal abbreviation).

Estudio en una preparatoria pública.

I study at a public high school.

High School in Spanish: Quick Reference

Below are the most common Spanish words for high school, with pronunciation and regional usage notes.

Spanish	English	Pronunciation	Region / Register
preparatoria	high school	preh-pah-rah-TOH-ryah	Default, widely understood
secundaria	high school		many countries (covers middle + high school or just high school)
bachillerato	high school		Spain, Colombia (upper secondary education)
liceo	high school		Venezuela, Chile, Uruguay
prepa	high school		Mexico (informal short form of preparatoria)

How Native Speakers Use Preparatoria

Real example sentences across three contexts you'll actually run into.

Mexico

Cuando terminé la prepa, entré a la universidad.

When I finished high school, I started college.

Prepa is the everyday short form of preparatoria in Mexico.

Spain

Está en segundo de bachillerato, el próximo año va a la universidad.

She's in her second year of high school, next year she's going to university.

In Spain, bachillerato is the two-year upper secondary stage (ages 16–18).

Venezuela / Chile

Mi hermano estudia en el liceo del barrio.

My brother studies at the neighborhood high school.

Liceo is the standard term in Venezuela, Chile, and Uruguay for secondary school.

Avoid These Mistakes When Using Preparatoria

Using escuela alta (literal translation)

Incorrect: Voy a la escuela alta.

Correct: Voy a la preparatoria.

Escuela alta is a word-for-word translation that no native speaker uses. Each region has its own term: preparatoria, bachillerato, secundaria, or liceo.

Confusing secundaria with preparatoria in Mexico

Incorrect: Estoy en la secundaria. (when meaning grades 10–12 in Mexico)

Correct: Estoy en la preparatoria.

In Mexico, secundaria is middle school (grades 7–9) and preparatoria is high school (grades 10–12). Mixing them up misidentifies your education level.

Lock in High School 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 Preparatoria used by native speakers

Parrot's short-form videos feature native speakers using preparatoria in real situations. Context-based exposure beats flashcards, you hear Estudio en una preparatoria pública. 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 High School in Spanish

How do you say high school in Spanish?: It depends on the country: preparatoria (Mexico), bachillerato (Spain, Colombia), liceo (Venezuela, Chile, Uruguay), secundaria (Argentina, many others). There is no single universal term.
What is the difference between preparatoria and secundaria in Mexico?: In Mexico, secundaria is middle school (ages 12–15, three years) while preparatoria (prepa) is high school (ages 15–18, three years). They are two distinct educational stages.
What does bachillerato mean?: Bachillerato is the upper secondary education stage, typically the last two years before university. In Spain it follows ESO (Educación Secundaria Obligatoria). In Colombia, it covers all of secondary school (grades 6–11).