Spanish vocabulary · Beginner
How to Say Prison in Spanish: Prisión & Cárcel
Prisión · noun (feminine) · pree-SYOHN
The Spanish word for prison is 'prisión,' used in formal and legal contexts. In everyday speech, 'cárcel' is far more common and universally understood. Both terms refer to the facility where convicted individuals serve their sentences.
Pronounce 'prisión' as pree-SYOHN and 'cárcel' as KAHR-sehl. Both are feminine nouns.
El juez lo condenó a diez años de prisión.
The judge sentenced him to ten years in prison.
Prison in Spanish: Quick Reference
Below are the most common Spanish words for prison, with pronunciation and regional usage notes.
| Spanish | English | Pronunciation | Region / Register |
|---|---|---|---|
| prisión | prison | pree-SYOHN | Default, widely understood |
| cárcel | prison | most common everyday term | |
| penal | prison | used in some Latin American countries |
How Native Speakers Use Prisión
Real example sentences across three contexts you'll actually run into.
News report
Tres personas escaparon de la cárcel durante la noche.
Three people escaped from prison during the night.
Reporting a prison break in the news.
Legal discussion
La sentencia incluye quince años de prisión sin libertad condicional.
The sentence includes fifteen years in prison without parole.
Discussing a legal verdict.
Visiting hours
Las visitas a la cárcel son los domingos de nueve a una.
Prison visits are on Sundays from nine to one.
Asking about prison visitation schedules.
Avoid These Mistakes When Using Prisión
Confusing 'prisión' with 'prisionero'
Incorrect: Él está en el prisionero.
Correct: Él está en prisión. / Él es un prisionero.
'Prisión' is the place, while 'prisionero' is the person incarcerated. They cannot be swapped.
Using masculine article
Incorrect: El prisión queda lejos de la ciudad.
Correct: La prisión queda lejos de la ciudad.
'Prisión' is a feminine noun, so it requires the article 'la,' not 'el.'
Lock in Prison 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 Prisión used by native speakers
Parrot's short-form videos feature native speakers using prisión in real situations. Context-based exposure beats flashcards, you hear El juez lo condenó a diez años de prisión. 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 Prison in Spanish
- Is 'prisión' or 'cárcel' more common?
- In daily conversation, 'cárcel' is much more frequently used, while 'prisión' appears primarily in legal documents, formal speech, and news reporting.
- How do you say 'prisoner' in Spanish?
- A prisoner is 'prisionero' or 'preso,' with 'reo' being used in legal and formal contexts to refer to someone who has been convicted of a crime.
- What does 'penal' mean in the context of prison?
- In several Latin American countries, 'penal' or 'penitenciaría' refers to a large prison facility, often used for federal or high-security institutions.