The Spanish word for “countries” is países, the plural of país. The written accent helps show that the vowels are pronounced in separate syllables.
countries in Spanish = países, pronounced approximately pah-EE-ses.
How Do You Say countries in Spanish?
País means “country,” and its plural is países. Both forms carry an accent mark on the i.
Meaning: countries
Use países for multiple countries. To say “in the country/countries,” use en el país or en los países; nationality adjectives and country names are separate words. For a related language name and nationality adjective, see French in Spanish.
Different Ways to Express countries
The plural form, useful collocations, and nationality words help you talk about countries naturally.
1. País — one country
el país — the country. País is masculine and has an accent mark to indicate stress on the final syllable and a hiatus between a and í.
2. Países — countries
los países — the countries. The plural is formed by adding -es. The accent remains: pa-í-ses.
3. País de habla hispana — Spanish-speaking country
un país de habla hispana — a Spanish-speaking country. This phrase describes a country where Spanish is spoken; it does not mean every resident speaks only Spanish.
4. Nación — nation
una nación — a nation. Nación is a related word that can emphasize a people or political community. It is not always interchangeable with país.
countries in Spanish: Quick Comparison
Use this comparison to choose the form that best fits your sentence. Pay attention to whether you are counting, describing a quality, or referring to a particular situation.
| Spanish | Meaning | Typical use |
|---|---|---|
| el país | the country | A single nation |
| los países | the countries | Multiple nations |
| un país de habla hispana | a Spanish-speaking country | Language and geography |
| una nación | a nation | Formal and political contexts |
How to Pronounce países
Países is pronounced in three syllables: pa-í-ses. The accent mark on í breaks up the vowel combination, so a and í belong to separate syllables. In most Latin American accents, c in países sounds like /s/.
Example Sentences Using countries
Read each example aloud and notice how the surrounding words give the phrase its exact meaning. The English translation is natural rather than a strict word-for-word rendering.
Meaning: Spain is a European country.
Use: País is singular and masculine.
Meaning: Many countries speak Spanish.
Use: Países is the plural form.
Meaning: I have visited three countries.
Use: Use países after a number greater than one.
Frequently Asked Questions About countries in Spanish
Tap a question below to see the answer.
What is the plural of país?
The plural is países, with the accent mark retained.
Why does países have an accent?
The accent shows the stressed í and separates it from the preceding a, creating the syllables pa-í-ses.
Is país masculine or feminine?
It is masculine: el país, plural los países.
How do I say “Spanish-speaking countries”?
A common phrase is países de habla hispana.
Are país and nación interchangeable?
They overlap, but país commonly means a country, while nación can emphasize a nation or people.
Summary: countries in Spanish
Use país for one country and países for countries. Keep the accent mark in both spellings. Nación is a related word with a somewhat different emphasis.
