P is the seventeenth letter and the thirteenth consonant of the Spanish alphabet. It is a very frequent letter in Spanish, appearing before vowels and some consonants.
El jardín luce hermoso en primavera.
The garden looks beautiful in spring.Papá, ¿juegas conmigo?
Dad, will you play with me?
The letter P may appear in initial, middle, or final position in the word:
- Words starting with P: parque (park), perro (dog), planta (plant).
- Words with P in them: lápiz (pencil), campana (bell), grupo (team).
- Words ending in P. They are infrequent, being words of foreign origin: clip (clip), rap (rap), chip (chip).
Pronunciation tip: The Spanish /p/ is a bilabial consonant, meaning that the sound is produced with both lips. It is also a plosive, which means that airflow is blocked completely, but unlike its English counterpart, much less air is released in its articulation, making the Spanish /p/ a much softer sound:
- The letter P may be omitted in words starting with the sequence ps-: psicólogo / sicólogo (psychologist). However, it is not advisable to omit it in words starting with the prefix pseudo-: pseudocientífico / seudocientífico (pseudoscientist).
- The letter P may be omitted in words containing the sequence -pt-: septiembre / setiembre (September), séptimo / sétimo (seventh).
- See also: Spanish alphabet
Spanish nouns that start with P
| pared wall | propina tip | pasaporte passport |
| pastel cake | pasillo corridor | peluca wig |
| pan bread | película movie | pincel brush |
| plato plate, dish | paciencia patience | peine comb |
| padre father | periódico newspaper | piscina swimming pool |
| palabra word | puente bridge | polvo dust |
| país country | palacio palace | pulsera bracelet |
| pregunta question | pintura paint, painting | pantufla slipper |
| piso floor, story | pantalla screen | pulmón lung |
| precio price | pelo hair | Países Bajos Netherlands |
Animals starting with P: perro (dog), pato (duck), pantera (panther), pingüino (penguin), pollo (chicken), paloma (dove), pavo (turkey), perezoso (sloth), polilla (moth).
Foods starting with P: piña (pineapple), plátano (banana), pera (pear), pomelo (grapefruit), palta (avocado), patata (potato), pimiento (pepper), pepino (cucumber), poroto (bean).
Jobs starting with P: profesor (professor), peluquero (hairdresser), panadero (baker), policía (police officer), periodista (reporter), piloto (pilot).
Names starting with P: Paula, Paloma, Pilar, Pamela, Pedro, Pablo, Patricio, Pascual.
¿Te puedo hacer una pregunta?
Can I ask you a question?La pintura fue robada dos veces del museo.
The painting was stolen twice from the museum.Buenos días; ¿me puede mostrar su pasaporte, por favor?
Good morning; can I have your passport, please?Nuestra visita al Palacio de Versalles ha sido fantástica.
Our visit to the Palace of Versailles was fantastic.
- See also: Spanish nouns
Spanish adjectives that start with P
| pequeño small | pintoresco quaint | prometedor promising |
| pesado heavy | probable probable | preocupante worrying |
| pobre poor | principal main | patético pathetic |
| peligroso dangerous | preciso accurate | pulcro neat, immaculate |
| preocupado worried | próximo next | pasivo passive |
| pálido pale | privado private | prohibido banned |
| profundo deep | primero first | prolijo tidy, neat |
| parecido similar | poderoso powerful | pleno full |
| precioso beautiful, gorgeous | perfecto perfect | punzante sharp, pointed |
| previo previous | prestigioso renowned | placentero pleasant |
¡Qué vestido precioso llevas puesto!
What a gorgeous dress you’re wearing!Mis primos viven en un pueblito pintoresco en Italia.
My cousins live in a quaint village in Italy.Además de ser un prestigioso artista plástico, es director de cine.
In addition to being a renowned visual artist, he is a film director.Está prohibido estacionar aquí.
It is forbidden to park here.
Adjectives starting with P to describe a person
| paciente patient | popular popular | pícaro cunning |
| puntual punctual | pacífico peaceful | prepotente arrogant |
| positivo positive | precavido cautious | pesimista pessimistic |
| práctico practical | poderoso powerful | presuntuoso conceited |
| prudente prudent | pasional passionate | perezoso lazy |
Juan es un niño pacífico al que no le gustan las peleas.
Juan is a peaceful boy who doesn’t like fights.Me gusta ser puntual y no hacer esperar a la gente.
I like to be punctual and not keep people waiting.
- See also: Spanish adjectives
Spanish verbs that start with P
| pagar to pay | prestar to lend | presentar to introduce, present |
| pensar to think | prometer to promise | progresar to improve |
| preguntar to ask | permitir to allow | patinar to skate |
| poner to put | partir to leave | posponer to postpone |
| parar to stop | parecer to seem, look | peinar to comb |
| probar to taste, try | pasear to go for a walk, ride | prevenir to prevent |
| perder to lose | preparar to prepare | preocupar to worry |
| pelear to fight | planear to plan | presionar to press |
| pintar to paint | pisar to tread on | poder to be able |
| perdonar to forgive | preferir to prefer | pedir to ask for |
¿Me puedes perdonar por lo que hice?
Can you forgive me for what I did?La niña se parece mucho a su madre.
The girl looks a lot like her mother.Prepararé la cena antes de que llegues a casa.
I’ll prepare dinner before you get home.Niños, ¿pueden dejar de pelear todo el tiempo?
Children, can you stop fighting all the time?
- See also: Spanish verbs
Spanish adverbs that start with P
| poco little | perfectamente perfectly | pacíficamente peacefully |
| pronto soon | parcialmente partially | paulatinamente gradually |
| peor worse | públicamente publicly | pésimamente dreadfully |
| primero first | previamente previously | particularmente particularly |
| probablemente probably | prácticamente practically | permanentemente permanently |
| posiblemente possibly | preferiblemente preferably | propiamente properly |
| principalmente mainly | profundamente deeply | preferentemente preferably |
| precisamente precisely | progresivamente progressively | paradójicamente paradoxically |
| personalmente personally | paralelamente concurrently | prematuramente prematurely |
| posteriormente subsequently | prudentemente sensibly | públicamente publicly |
Entiendo perfectamente lo que dices.
I understand perfectly what you are saying.
Los manifestantes protestaron pacíficamente en la plaza.
Demonstrators protested peacefully in the square.
Personalmente, no estoy de acuerdo con esta decisión.
Personally, I do not agree with this decision.
Creo que estás mejorando progresivamente.
I believe you are improving gradually.
- See also: Spanish adverbs
More everyday Spanish words that start with P
Some more everyday Spanish words and expressions that start with P include:
pero
but
por
for, because of
para
for, to
pese a
despite
pues
well
¡Puaj!
Yuck!
¡Puf!
Yech!
¡Pum!
Bang!
No tengo ganas de ir a la fiesta pero te voy a acompañar.
I don't feel like going to the party but I'll go with you.
¡Puaj! ¡Esta leche está fea!
Yuck! This milk tastes bad!
Seguiremos adelante pese a todo.
We’ll carry on in spite of everything.
Los dulces que he comprado son para los niños.
The candies I bought are for the children.
You may also like:
Practice: Spanish words with P
References
- Wordreference.com, “pum,” accessed November 14, 2024, https://www.wordreference.com/
- Oxford Spanish Dictionary, 3rd edition on CD-ROM, Oxford University Press.
- Merriam-Webster Dictionary, accessed November 14, 2024, under “yech,” https://www.merriam-webster.com/
- Real Academia Española, Diccionario de la lengua española, under “pronto,” accessed November 14, 2024, https://dle.rae.es/
- Enciclopedia del Lenguaje, “Palabras con P,” by Carla Giani. Last updated October 25, 2024, https://lenguaje.com/
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