How to Say "Language" in Spanish

Quick Answer

language = el idioma, la lengua, el lenguaje, el habla

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.

Hablo cuatro idiomas: inglés, francés, español y aymara. I speak four languages: English, French, Spanish, and Aymara.

¿Qué lenguas has estudiado? What languages have you studied?

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.

Mi hermano dice que entiende el lenguaje de los árboles. My brother says he understands the language of trees.

Solo uso lenguaje jurídico dentro de la sala del tribunal. I only use legal language within the courtroom.

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.

Nora va a una escuela de habla francesa. Nora goes to an French-language school.

El habla de los jóvenes de esta zona se caracteriza por el uso de palabras en inglés. The language of young people in this area is characterized by the use of words in English.

• 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.