Spanish vocabulary · Beginner

How to Say Lawyer in Spanish: Abogado

Abogado · noun (masculine) · ah-boh-GAH-doh

Lawyer in Spanish is abogado (masculine) or abogada (feminine), the standard term for a legal professional across all regions.

Abogado is ah-boh-GAH-doh, four syllables with stress on GAH.

Necesito hablar con mi abogado antes de firmar el contrato.

I need to talk to my lawyer before signing the contract.

Lawyer in Spanish: Quick Reference

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

SpanishEnglishPronunciationRegion / Register
abogadolawyerah-boh-GAH-dohDefault, widely understood
letradolawyerformal/legal documents
licenciadolawyerMexico, used as a title

How Native Speakers Use Abogado

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

Legal advice

Mi abogada me recomendó no aceptar la primera oferta.

My lawyer recommended I not accept the first offer.

Feminine form abogada.

Career

Quiero estudiar derecho para ser abogado.

I want to study law to become a lawyer.

Career aspiration.

Mexican usage

El licenciado García lo atenderá en unos minutos.

Lawyer García will see you in a few minutes.

Licenciado used as title in Mexico.

Avoid These Mistakes When Using Abogado

Using abogado for attorney general

Incorrect: El abogado general del país.

Correct: El fiscal general del país.

Attorney general is fiscal general, not abogado general.

Wrong feminine form

Incorrect: Ella es un abogado excelente.

Correct: Ella es una abogada excelente.

Use abogada for a female lawyer, with feminine article una.

Lock in Lawyer 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 Abogado used by native speakers

Parrot's short-form videos feature native speakers using abogado in real situations. Context-based exposure beats flashcards, you hear Necesito hablar con mi abogado antes de firmar el contrato. 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 Lawyer in Spanish

How do you say lawyer in Spanish?
The standard word is abogado (ah-boh-GAH-doh) for male and abogada for female, used universally across Spanish-speaking countries.
What does licenciado mean in Mexico?
In Mexico, licenciado is used as an honorific title for lawyers and other professionals with university degrees, similar to how English uses Esquire.
What is the difference between abogado and letrado?
Letrado is a more formal and legal term that appears in court documents and official proceedings, while abogado is the everyday word everyone uses.