Spanish vocabulary · Beginner
How to Say Success in Spanish: Éxito
Éxito · noun (masculine) · EHK-see-toh
Success in Spanish is éxito, a masculine noun and one of the most commonly confused false cognates for English speakers. Éxito means success, not 'exit' — the Spanish word for exit is salida. This distinction is essential to avoid embarrassing miscommunication.
Éxito is pronounced EHK-see-toh, with the stress on the first syllable. The accent mark on the e is mandatory.
Su nueva empresa ha tenido mucho éxito en el mercado.
Their new company has had a lot of success in the market.
Success in Spanish: Quick Reference
Below are the most common Spanish words for success, with pronunciation and regional usage notes.
| Spanish | English | Pronunciation | Region / Register |
|---|---|---|---|
| éxito | success | EHK-see-toh | Default, widely understood |
| triunfo | success | triumph or major success | |
| logro | success | achievement or accomplishment |
How Native Speakers Use Éxito
Real example sentences across three contexts you'll actually run into.
Career achievement
Alcanzar el éxito requiere disciplina y perseverancia.
Achieving success requires discipline and perseverance.
Motivational advice about professional goals.
Entertainment
La película fue un éxito de taquilla en toda Latinoamérica.
The movie was a box-office success across all of Latin America.
Discussing the commercial performance of a film.
Wishing well
Te deseo mucho éxito en tu nuevo trabajo.
I wish you much success in your new job.
Encouraging someone who is about to start a new position.
Avoid These Mistakes When Using Éxito
Confusing éxito with exit
Incorrect: ¿Dónde está el éxito del edificio?
Correct: ¿Dónde está la salida del edificio?
Éxito means success, not exit. The Spanish word for exit is salida, a common false-cognate trap for English speakers.
Forgetting the accent mark
Incorrect: La fiesta fue un exito.
Correct: La fiesta fue un éxito.
Without the accent mark, the word is misspelled and loses the correct stressed pronunciation on the first syllable.
Lock in Success 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 Éxito used by native speakers
Parrot's short-form videos feature native speakers using éxito in real situations. Context-based exposure beats flashcards, you hear Su nueva empresa ha tenido mucho éxito en el mercado. 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 Success in Spanish
- How do you say success in Spanish?
- Success in Spanish is éxito (EHK-see-toh), a masculine noun that should not be confused with the English word 'exit.'
- Is éxito a false cognate?
- Éxito is one of the most well-known false cognates between English and Spanish — it means success, while exit translates to salida.
- How do you say 'successful' in Spanish?
- The adjective form is exitoso (masculine) or exitosa (feminine), as in una carrera exitosa (a successful career).