Spanish vocabulary · Beginner
How to Say "Quiz" in Spanish: Cuestionario, Prueba Corta, and More
Cuestionario · noun (masculine) · kwes-tee-oh-NAH-ree-oh
Quiz in Spanish depends on context. In school, a quiz is prueba corta or examen corto (a brief test). Cuestionario works for questionnaires and quiz formats. Online personality quizzes often keep the English word quiz as a borrowing.
kwes-tee-oh-NAH-ree-oh (cuestionario), PROO-eh-bah KOHR-tah (prueba corta).
Mañana tenemos una prueba corta sobre el capítulo tres.
Tomorrow we have a quiz on chapter three.
Quiz in Spanish: Quick Reference
Below are the most common Spanish words for quiz, with pronunciation and regional usage notes.
| Spanish | English | Pronunciation | Region / Register |
|---|---|---|---|
| cuestionario | quiz | kwes-tee-oh-NAH-ree-oh | Default, widely understood |
| prueba corta | quiz | Universal (short test) | |
| examen rápido | quiz | Informal (quick exam) | |
| quiz | quiz | Anglicism used in digital/social media contexts |
How Native Speakers Use Cuestionario
Real example sentences across three contexts you'll actually run into.
In a classroom
El profesor anunció una prueba corta sorpresa de vocabulario.
The teacher announced a surprise vocabulary quiz.
Prueba corta is the natural term in academic settings for a brief assessment.
Online quiz
Hice un quiz en internet para saber qué personaje de la serie soy.
I took an online quiz to find out which character from the show I am.
The English word quiz is used as-is for online personality and trivia quizzes in informal speech.
Trivia game
Organizamos un cuestionario de cultura general para la fiesta.
We organized a general knowledge quiz for the party.
Cuestionario works for structured quiz formats with questions and answers.
Avoid These Mistakes When Using Cuestionario
Using examen when you mean a short quiz
Incorrect: Tenemos un examen mañana. (when it's just a quick 5-question quiz)
Correct: Tenemos una prueba corta mañana.
Examen implies a major test or exam worth significant marks. For a short, informal assessment, prueba corta or pruebita is more accurate and won't alarm students unnecessarily.
Pluralizing quiz as quizes
Incorrect: Hice tres quizes esta semana.
Correct: Hice tres quizzes esta semana. (or: tres pruebas cortas)
If using the English borrowing, the plural follows English rules (quizzes). Better yet, use the Spanish equivalent pruebas cortas to avoid the issue entirely.
Lock in Quiz 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 Cuestionario used by native speakers
Parrot's short-form videos feature native speakers using cuestionario in real situations. Context-based exposure beats flashcards, you hear Mañana tenemos una prueba corta sobre el capítulo tres. 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 Quiz in Spanish
- How do you say quiz in Spanish?
- For school quizzes: prueba corta, examen corto, or pruebita. For questionnaires: cuestionario. For online personality/trivia quizzes: the English word quiz is commonly borrowed. The best choice depends on context.
- What's the difference between prueba, examen, and cuestionario?
- Examen is a formal test (midterm, final). Prueba (corta) is a shorter assessment or quiz. Cuestionario is a set of questions — either a quiz format or a survey/questionnaire. Each serves a different assessment weight and format.
- Can I use the word quiz in Spanish?
- Yes, especially in informal and digital contexts. Haz este quiz de personalidad (Take this personality quiz) is perfectly natural. For academic settings, native terms (prueba corta) are more appropriate.