Spanish vocabulary · Beginner
How to Say Race in Spanish: Carrera & Raza
Carrera · noun (feminine) · kah-RREH-rah
Race in Spanish has two distinct translations. A speed competition is carrera (la carrera de autos = the car race). Race as in ethnicity or breed is raza (la raza humana = the human race). Carrera also means career or university degree in many Latin American countries.
kah-RREH-rah (carrera, with trilled rr) / RRAH-sah (raza, with trilled initial r).
Ganó la carrera de cien metros.
He won the hundred-meter race.
Race in Spanish: Quick Reference
Below are the most common Spanish words for race, with pronunciation and regional usage notes.
| Spanish | English | Pronunciation | Region / Register |
|---|---|---|---|
| carrera | race | kah-RREH-rah | Default, widely understood |
| raza | race | race as ethnicity/species | |
| competencia | race | competition, race event |
How Native Speakers Use Carrera
Real example sentences across three contexts you'll actually run into.
Sports competition
Vamos a ver la carrera de Fórmula 1 este domingo.
Let's watch the Formula 1 race this Sunday.
Carrera is the word for any speed-based competition: running, driving, cycling.
Ethnicity or breed
¿De qué raza es tu perro?
What breed/race is your dog?
Raza covers both human ethnicity and animal breed in Spanish.
Career meaning
Estoy estudiando la carrera de ingeniería.
I'm studying engineering (university degree).
In Latin America, carrera commonly means a university degree program or career path.
Avoid These Mistakes When Using Carrera
Using raza for a sports race
Incorrect: Corrí una raza de cinco kilómetros.
Correct: Corrí una carrera de cinco kilómetros.
Raza means race in the ethnic/breed sense only. For a speed competition, always use carrera.
Confusing carrera (race) with carrera (career)
Incorrect: Gané la carrera de medicina. (intending: I won the race of medicine)
Correct: Gané la carrera. (race) / Terminé la carrera de medicina. (degree)
Context distinguishes: ganar la carrera = win the race; estudiar/terminar la carrera = study/finish the degree.
Lock in Race 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 Carrera used by native speakers
Parrot's short-form videos feature native speakers using carrera in real situations. Context-based exposure beats flashcards, you hear Ganó la carrera de cien metros. 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 Race in Spanish
- How do you say race in Spanish?
- A speed competition is carrera. Race as in ethnicity or breed is raza. They are completely different words.
- Does carrera really mean career too?
- In Latin America, carrera is commonly used for a university degree or career path: ¿Qué carrera estudias? (What is your major/degree?).
- How do you say race car in Spanish?
- Auto de carreras or coche de carreras (Spain). The plural carreras here emphasizes racing as an activity.