Spanish vocabulary · Intermediate
How to Say Slave in Spanish: Esclavo
Esclavo · noun (masculine) · ehs-KLAH-voh
Slave in Spanish is esclavo (masculine) or esclava (feminine), used primarily in historical and educational contexts about slavery.
Esclavo is ehs-KLAH-voh, three syllables with stress on KLAH.
Millones de esclavos fueron llevados a América durante la colonización.
Millions of slaves were taken to the Americas during colonization.
Slave in Spanish: Quick Reference
Below are the most common Spanish words for slave, with pronunciation and regional usage notes.
| Spanish | English | Pronunciation | Region / Register |
|---|---|---|---|
| esclavo | slave | ehs-KLAH-voh | Default, widely understood |
| esclava | slave | feminine form |
How Native Speakers Use Esclavo
Real example sentences across three contexts you'll actually run into.
Historical context
La abolición de la esclavitud liberó a millones de esclavos.
The abolition of slavery freed millions of slaves.
Historical discussion about abolition.
Figurative usage
No quiero ser esclavo del trabajo, necesito un balance.
I don't want to be a slave to work, I need balance.
Figurative expression about feeling trapped.
Educational material
El museo documenta las condiciones en que vivían los esclavos.
The museum documents the conditions in which slaves lived.
Museum or educational setting.
Avoid These Mistakes When Using Esclavo
Gender agreement
Incorrect: La esclavo trabajaba en el campo.
Correct: La esclava trabajaba en el campo.
When referring to a female slave, use the feminine form esclava with the article la.
Confusing esclavo with eslavo
Incorrect: Los eslavos trabajaban en las plantaciones.
Correct: Los esclavos trabajaban en las plantaciones.
Eslavo means Slavic (the ethnic group); esclavo means slave—these words share a historical etymology but are different.
Lock in Slave Vocabulary with the Parrot Method
Why word lists alone don't stick
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See Esclavo used by native speakers
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Common Questions About Slave in Spanish
- How do you say slave in Spanish?
- The word is esclavo (masculine) or esclava (feminine), and the related noun esclavitud means slavery—these terms are used primarily in historical and educational discussions.
- What is the connection between eslavo and esclavo?
- Historically, the word slave in many European languages derives from the Latin sclavus, which referred to Slavic peoples who were enslaved in medieval times, giving Spanish both eslavo (Slavic) and esclavo (slave).
- How do you say slavery in Spanish?
- Slavery is esclavitud, a feminine noun, as in la abolición de la esclavitud (the abolition of slavery) or la esclavitud fue una atrocidad histórica (slavery was a historical atrocity).