indiginous person

Question

What is the general Spanish noun (term or phrase) for "indiginous person'" When is "nativo, va" appropriate. When is "indigino, na" appropriate? Is there another'

Answer 1

The correct spelling in English is indigenous. The correct spelling in Spanish is indígena and indígena is an adjective, not a noun.

nativo/a is also an adjective.

Answer 2

Usually when referring to indigenous people you would refer to natives living in primitive conditions. Natives are those who are from a specific area, but they could be completely integrated into the modern culture. I would apply the same meaning and usage to these words in Spanish as I do in English.

Answer 3

Thank you. Does this mean that there is no Spanish noun like "aborigine'"

Answer 4

Use the dictionary, it's aborigen. However, I'm not sure if the usage in Spanish extends beyond the meaning of "a native of Australia."

Dale Pearson said:

Thank you. Does this mean that there is no Spanish noun like "aborigine'"

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Answer 5

Natasha said:

Use the dictionary, it's aborigen. However, I'm not sure if the usage in Spanish extends beyond the meaning of "a native of Australia."

Dale Pearson said:

Thank you. Does this mean that there is no Spanish noun like "aborigine'"

I have always like the sound of the word "autóctono", indigenous, native.

Answer 6

No, I'm not referring to that usage. The noun is el indígena or la indígena. It's just an ordinary noun. And as far as I know, this applies to Spanish everywhere.

Answer 7

James Santiago said:

No, I'm not referring to that usage. The noun is el indígena or la indígena. It's just an ordinary noun. And as far as I know, this applies to Spanish everywhere.

In Spain it can be both:

Plantas indígenas (adjective)
Los indígenas (noun)

However, if I had to choose (luckily I don't have to), I'd go for adjective rather than noun in Spanish.

Answer 8

I didn't mean to imply that it is ONLY used as a noun here, but that it is ALSO used as a noun. I was just refuting Natasha's statement to the contrary. And my statement that "this applies to Spanish everywhere" meant that the word can be used as a noun everywhere, in addition to being used as an adjective.

Answer 9

Again, sorry folks, I really didn't mean to confuse everybody.

James Santiago said:

I didn't mean to imply that it is ONLY used as a noun here, but that it is ALSO used as a noun. I was just refuting Natasha's statement to the contrary. And my statement that "this applies to Spanish everywhere" meant that the word can be used as a noun everywhere, in addition to being used as an adjective.

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Answer 10

you can say aborigen, but only as an adjective.
las plantas aborígenes de Colombia.

Answer 11

maggie said:

you can say aborigen, but only as an adjective. las plantas aborígenes de Colombia.

This is not exact, maggie.

aborigen.

(Sing. formado a partir del pl. lat. aborig'nes).

1. adj. Originario del suelo en que vive. Tribu, animal, planta aborigen.

2. adj. Se dice del primitivo morador de un país, por contraposición a los establecidos posteriormente en él. U. m. c. s. pl. "usado más como sustantivo plural"

Answer 12

I live in a rural Mexican village. The word used here is el/la indigina. It is a noun. It is used to refer to any person native to the area; not of European descent nor a mestizo, of mixed descent. It doesn't imply being primitive.