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If you are learning Spanish, you might have wondered how to say popular in Spanish. This word has several meanings and uses in English, and it can be translated differently depending on the context. In this blog post, we will explain the different ways to say popular in Spanish and give you some examples and tips to use this word correctly. We will also teach you some related expressions that will help you sound more natural and fluent in Spanish.
Popular as well-liked or fashionable
One of the most common meanings of popular is well-liked or fashionable. For example, if someone or something is popular, it means that they have a lot of friends, admirers or followers, or that they are trendy or in style. In this sense, popular can be translated as popular in Spanish. This adjective agrees with the gender and number of the noun it modifies, so it can be popular, populares, popular or populares.
Here are some examples of how to use popular in this sense:
- Jessica es la niña más popular de su escuela. (Jessica is the most popular girl in her school.)
- El parque nuevo está teniendo mucho éxito. (The new park is proving to be very popular.)2
- Zuriel goza de popularidad entre las chicas en la escuela. (Zuriel is very popular with the girls at school.)
- Las faldas largas están de moda. (Long skirts are popular.)
As you can see, sometimes you can use the noun popularidad (popularity) instead of the adjective popular to express the same idea.
Popular in Spanish as widespread or common
Another meaning of popular is widespread or common. For example, if something is popular, it means that it is known or believed by many people, or that it is typical or characteristic of a certain group or culture. In this sense, popular can be translated as generalizado, común or típico in Spanish. These adjectives also agree with the gender and number of the noun they modify.
Here are some examples of how to use popular in this sense:
- En contra de la creencia generalizada, el tomate es una fruta en realidad. (Contrary to popular belief, tomatoes are actually a fruit.)
- El maíz era una comida poco popular en Latino América. (Corn wasn’t a popular food in Latin America.)
- El flamenco es un tipo de obra de teatro popular de Andalucía. (Flamenco is a kind of theater popular in Andalusia.)
Notice that sometimes you can still use popular in this sense, especially when it refers to something that belongs to the folk or traditional culture of a place.
Popular as of or for the people
A third meaning of popular is of or for the people. For example, if something is popular, it means that it is related to the ordinary people or the masses, or that it represents their interests or opinions. In this sense, popular can be translated as popular or del pueblo in Spanish. These adjectives are usually used before the noun they modify.
Here are some examples of how to use popular in this sense:
- El país llevó a cabo sus primeras elecciones verdaderamente populares en su historia. (The country carried out their first truly popular elections in their history.)
- El aprecio del pueblo por la alcaldesa está creciendo ahora que la tasa de desempleo está disminuyendo. (Popular sentiment for the mayor is growing now that the unemployment rate is declining.)
- El tribunal popular condenó al dictador por crímenes contra la humanidad. (The people’s court sentenced the dictator for crimes against humanity.)
Related expressions with popular
Besides these meanings, there are some expressions with popular that you should know if you want to speak Spanish like a native. Here are some of them:
- Hacerse popular: To catch on, to become well-known or fashionable.
- Esta canción se hizo muy popular en los años 80. (This song caught on in the 80s.)
- Caer bien/mal a alguien: To be popular/unpopular with someone, to get along/not get along with someone.
- No le caigo bien a mi suegra. (I’m not popular with my mother-in-law.)
- A petición popular: By popular demand or request, responding to the general demand.
- Por petición popular, vamos a repetir la obra de teatro. (By popular demand, we are going to repeat the play.)
- En contra de lo que comúnmente se cree: Contrary to popular belief or opinion, against what most people think or believe.
- En contra de lo que comúnmente se cree, los pingüinos no viven solo en el Polo Sur. (Contrary to popular belief, penguins don’t live only in the South Pole.)
- Sabiduría popular: Lore, folk wisdom, common knowledge or sense.
- Según la sabiduría popular, el ajo es bueno para la salud. (According to lore, garlic is good for your health.)
Conclusion
As you can see, there are different ways to say popular in Spanish, depending on the meaning and context. You can use popular, generalizado, común, típico or del pueblo as adjectives, or popularidad as a noun. You can also use some expressions with popular to sound more natural and fluent in Spanish. We hope this blog post has helped you learn how to say popular in Spanish, and that you will use this word confidently in your conversations. If you want to learn more Spanish words and phrases, check out our other blog posts or visit our website for more resources. Hasta la próxima! (See you next time!)
