I- ÁFRICA
- Egipto
- Nigeria
- Sudáfrica
- Kenia
- Marruecos
II- AMÉRICA
- Estados Unidos
- Canadá
- México
- Guatemala
- El Salvador
- Honduras
- Nicaragua
- Costa Rica
- Panamá
- Cuba
- República Dominicana
- Puerto Rico
- Colombia
- Venezuela
- Ecuador
- Perú
- Bolivia
- Paraguay
- Uruguay
- Chile
- Argentina
III- ASIA
- China
- Japón
- La India
- Rusia
- Corea del Norte
- Corea del Sur
- Tailandia
- Vietnam
- Indonesia
IV- EUROPA
- España
- Reino Unido / Inglaterra /Gran Bretaña
- Francia
- Bélgica
- Alemania
- Italia
- Portugal
- Suiza
- Polonia
V- OCEANÍA
- Australia
- Nueva Zelanda
- Papúa Nueva Guinea
CONVERSATION:
¿De dónde eres? / Where are you from?
A: ¿De dónde eres?
B: Soy de República Dominicana
A: ¿Cuál es tu nacionalidad?
B: Soy Dominicano.
English
A: Where are you from?
B: I’m from the Dominican Republic
A: What’s your nationality?
B: I’m Dominican.
¿De dónde eres? / Where are you from?
A: ¿De dónde eres?
B: Soy de _______________
***Complete with your answer.
How to Learn Countries and Nationalities in Spanish
Learning countries and nationalities in Spanish is one of the first and most practical topics for any beginner student. Whether you are travelling, meeting new people, or simply having a conversation, knowing how to say where you are from and ask others about their origin is essential. In this free Spanish lesson, we cover the most important countries from every continent and show you how to use them naturally in conversation.
Why Countries and Nationalities Matter in Spanish Conversation
One of the very first questions you will hear in any Spanish-speaking environment is “¿De dónde eres?” (Where are you from?). Being able to answer confidently and ask the same question back opens the door to genuine conversations. Nationalities in Spanish follow specific grammar rules — most have masculine and feminine forms, and they do not use capital letters as they do in English. For example, you say “Soy inglés” (I am English, masculine) or “Soy inglesa” (feminine), always in lowercase.
Tips for Memorising Countries in Spanish
Many country names in Spanish are similar to English, which makes them easier to remember. Countries like Francia (France), Italia (Italy), and Canadá (Canada) are recognisable at first glance. However, some are quite different — Alemania (Germany), Reino Unido (United Kingdom), and Estados Unidos (United States) require a bit more practice. A great strategy is to group countries by continent, as we do in the video above, and practise them in context with short dialogues.
Grammar: How Nationalities Work in Spanish
In Spanish, nationalities are adjectives, which means they must agree in gender and number with the person they describe. Nationalities ending in -o change to -a for feminine: mexicano / mexicana. Those ending in a consonant typically add -a for feminine: español / española, inglés / inglesa. Nationalities ending in -e or -í usually stay the same for both genders: canadiense, marroquí. Understanding these patterns will help you form correct sentences from the very beginning.
Practice Makes Perfect
The best way to learn countries and nationalities in Spanish is through regular practice. Watch the video lesson above to hear the correct pronunciation of each country and nationality. Then, try the conversation exercises — practise saying where you are from and asking a friend or classmate the same question. If you would like personalised guidance from a native Spanish teacher, our one-to-one online Spanish lessons via Zoom are the perfect way to build your confidence and fluency from day one.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I capitalise nationalities in Spanish?
No. Unlike English, nationalities in Spanish are written in lowercase: “Soy español”, not “Soy Español”.
What is the difference between a country and a nationality in Spanish?
The country is the place (España = Spain), while the nationality is the adjective describing someone from that place (español / española = Spanish).
How many countries speak Spanish as an official language?
Spanish is the official language in 20 countries across the Americas, Europe, and Africa, making it one of the most widely spoken languages in the world.
