Spanish vocabulary · Beginner
What Does "País" Mean in English? Country, Nation, Land
País · noun (masculine) · pah-EES
País means country in English. It refers to a nation or sovereign state (el país = the country). Related terms include nación (more formal/political) and patria (homeland, with emotional connotation). The accent on the í is required.
pah-EES — two syllables, stress on EES. The accent mark breaks the diphthong ai into two separate syllables.
México es un país con una gran diversidad cultural.
Mexico is a country with great cultural diversity.
País in English in Spanish: Quick Reference
Below are the most common Spanish words for país in english, with pronunciation and regional usage notes.
| Spanish | English | Pronunciation | Region / Register |
|---|---|---|---|
| país | país in english | pah-EES | Default, widely understood |
| nación | país in english | Universal (more formal, nation) | |
| patria | país in english | Universal (homeland, patriotic register) |
How Native Speakers Use País
Real example sentences across three contexts you'll actually run into.
Talking about nations
¿De qué país eres?
What country are you from?
One of the most asked questions when meeting people internationally.
Describing a country
Es un país en vías de desarrollo con mucho potencial.
It's a developing country with a lot of potential.
País in economic and political discussions about nations.
Figurative use
Esta biblioteca es un país de las maravillas para los lectores.
This library is a wonderland for readers.
País de las maravillas (wonderland) shows the figurative/literary usage of país as land or realm.
Avoid These Mistakes When Using País
Forgetting the accent on país
Incorrect: Vivo en un pais hermoso.
Correct: Vivo en un país hermoso.
Without the written accent, the vowels a-i would collapse into a diphthong (one syllable), changing both pronunciation and meaning. The tilde forces two separate syllables: pa-ís.
Using país when you mean countryside
Incorrect: Fuimos al país el fin de semana. (intending countryside)
Correct: Fuimos al campo el fin de semana.
Unlike French (pays can mean countryside), Spanish país only means country (nation). For countryside or rural area, use campo or zona rural.
Lock in País in English 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 País used by native speakers
Parrot's short-form videos feature native speakers using país in real situations. Context-based exposure beats flashcards, you hear México es un país con una gran diversidad cultural. 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 País in English in Spanish
- What does país mean in English?
- País means country (as in a nation or state). ¿De qué país eres? = What country are you from? It is masculine (el país) and requires an accent on the í.
- What is the plural of país?
- The plural is países (pah-EE-sehs). The accent stays on the í: los países latinoamericanos (the Latin American countries). Add -es because the singular ends in a consonant (s).
- What is the difference between país, nación, and patria?
- País is the neutral, everyday word for country. Nación is more formal and political (think nation-state). Patria means homeland or fatherland — it carries patriotic or emotional weight. In daily conversation, país is the default choice.