Spanish vocabulary · Intermediate

How to Say War in Spanish: Guerra

Guerra · noun (feminine) · GEH-rrah

War in Spanish is guerra, a feminine noun referring to an armed conflict between nations, groups, or factions. The term is also used figuratively in expressions like guerra de precios (price war) and guerra fría (cold war).

Guerra is pronounced GEH-rrah, with the stress on the first syllable. The ue after g is pronounced, and the double r (rr) produces a strong rolled sound.

La guerra causa sufrimiento a millones de personas inocentes.

War causes suffering to millions of innocent people.

War in Spanish: Quick Reference

Below are the most common Spanish words for war, with pronunciation and regional usage notes.

SpanishEnglishPronunciationRegion / Register
guerrawarGEH-rrahDefault, widely understood
conflicto bélicowarformal, armed conflict

How Native Speakers Use Guerra

Real example sentences across three contexts you'll actually run into.

Historical reference

La Segunda Guerra Mundial terminó en mil novecientos cuarenta y cinco.

World War II ended in nineteen forty-five.

Discussing a historical event in an educational setting.

Figurative usage

Las dos empresas están en una guerra de precios.

The two companies are in a price war.

Describing intense business competition.

Peace advocacy

Los líderes firmaron un acuerdo para poner fin a la guerra.

The leaders signed an agreement to end the war.

Reporting on diplomatic efforts to achieve peace.

Avoid These Mistakes When Using Guerra

Using masculine article

Incorrect: El guerra fue devastador.

Correct: La guerra fue devastadora.

Guerra is feminine, requiring la and feminine adjectives like devastadora.

Confusing guerra with guerrero

Incorrect: Los países entraron en guerrero.

Correct: Los países entraron en guerra.

Guerrero means warrior (a person), while guerra is the conflict itself. Entering a war is entrar en guerra.

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Why word lists alone don't stick

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See Guerra used by native speakers

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Common Questions About War in Spanish

How do you say war in Spanish?
War is guerra (GEH-rrah) in Spanish, a feminine noun used for both literal armed conflicts and figurative expressions.
What is 'guerra fría' in English?
Guerra fría translates to 'cold war' and is the standard term used in Spanish to describe the geopolitical tension between major powers during the twentieth century.
How do you say 'warrior' in Spanish?
A warrior is guerrero (masculine) or guerrera (feminine), sharing the same root as guerra but referring to a person who fights rather than the conflict itself.