How to Say "Language" in Spanish

Though el idioma, la lengua, el lenguaje, and el habla can all mean language, they're not always used interchangeably.

Idioma and Lengua

The words idioma and lengua are more commonly used to describe language in the sense of a system of communication, such as English or Spanish.

Lenguaje

Though it can be used in the same sense as idioma and lengua, the word lenguaje is also commonly used to describe language in the sense of a particular way of speaking used by a certain group or in the sense of non-verbal communication.

Habla

The word habla is often used to describe the physical capacity for speech and the way a certain person or group uses language. It's also used in combination with the name of a language in an adjectival sense, as shown in the first example below.

• To learn about the history of the Spanish language, check out our article About the Spanish Language.
• To learn about how many people in the world speak Spanish, and other fun trivia about the Spanish language, check out our article on Spanish Language Trivia.
• To see Spanish words of Arabic origin, check out our article on Spanish Words of Arabic Origin.
• To see Spanish words of indigenous origin, check out our article on Spanish Words of Indigenous Origin.