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

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.

Answer 2

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 3

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

Answer 4

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 5

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 6

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 7

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 8

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 9

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 10

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

Answer 11

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 12

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.