World Religions in Spanish: Your Ultimate Vocab Guide

Religion is a powerful theme that unites many people across the globe. 8 in 10 people (84% of the world population) identify with a religion. There are many religions around the globe, and it’s interesting to discover each one of them. If you’re here, it means you’re curious about world religions in Spanish vocabulary. By learning this information, you enhance the effectiveness of your Spanish conversations or presentations and improve the chances of making your point. 

¡Aprendamos sobre religiones!

World Religions

Let’s discuss some generalities. First, by religion we refer to the humans’ relation to what they consider as holy, absolute, sacred, spiritual, or worthy of special reverence. It also relates to the way people deal with concerns about life and fate after death. At the same time, the term “world religions” indicates the largest international religious movements that include:

• Christianity (cristianismo)
• Islam (islam) 
• Hinduism (hinduismo)
• Judaism (judaísmo)
• Buddhism (budismo)
• Taoism (taoismo)

Each one of these has individual characteristics, but they also share some generalities. That is, religions’ basic characteristics include:

• The belief in supernatural beings (like God, Buddha and Allah, for example)
• Distinction between sacred (or ceremonial) and profane objects, places, or times
• Ritual acts
• A moral code (like the ten Commandments in Christianity or the Five Pillars of Islam)
• Prayers
• A world view (believers with a general –and the same– picture of the world)
• Social groups bounded together

Popular Religions in Spanish-Speaking Countries

Religions in Spanish-speaking countries are similar, that is, most people in these countries practice the same (or very alike) religions and decide to pass them on their next generations. The most common one is Christianity (and its branches). According to Pew Research Center (Hispanic Trends), these include mostly the branches of Christianity:

Roman Catholics (católicos romanos)

About two-thirds (68%) of Latinos identify as Catholics. Roman Catholicism is one of the three major branches of Christianity. The Roman Catholic Church traces its history to Jesus Christ and the Apostles. Over the course of centuries it developed a highly sophisticated theology and an elaborate organizational structure headed by the papacy.

Evangelical Protestants (protestantes evangélicos)

Nearly one-in-six (15%) Hispanics identify themselves as evangelicals. Hispanic evangelicals are a more native-born population compared with Catholics (46% vs. 32%). The Evangelical church emphasizes in the preaching of the gospel of Jesus Christ, personal conversion experiences, Scripture as the sole basis for faith, and active evangelism. 

Mainline Protestants (protestantes tradicionales)

About one-in-twenty (5%) Hispanics identify themselves as mainline Protestants. Mainline Protestant denominations are the more moderate counterpart to their evangelical cousins. This is, they have a more modernist theology. More specifically, they don’t consider the Bible to be the inerrant word of God, but as a historical document. Also, most of them believe that Jesus is the way to salvation, but others believe there are other ways to salvation as well.

Judaism, Muslim, or other non-Christian

Latinos who belong to non-Christian faiths are such a small group, less than 1% of the adult population. Followers of Judaism believe in one God who revealed himself through ancient prophets. They believe there’s only one God who has established a special agreement with them. Their God communicates to believers through prophets and rewards good deeds while also punishing evil. On the other hand, Islam illuminates the idea that the believer (called a Muslim) accepts surrender to the will of Allah (in Arabic: God). 

Seculars (seglares)

Nearly one-in-ten (8%) Hispanics identify themselves as seculars. Latino seculars are predominantly male and younger compared with Hispanics who identify with a religion. Here, we can include Atheism (the proposition that God doesn’t exist), and Agnosticism (a person who has entertained the proposition that there is a God but believes neither that it is true nor that it is false).  

Vocabulary Lists: Religions in Spanish

After having learned about general trends in religion throughout Spanish-speaking countries, you’re ready to check out our vocabulary lists of world religions in Spanish. 

World Religions in Spanish

Religion in English	Religion in Spanish
Catholicism	el catolicismo
Christianism	el cristianismo
Islam	el islam
Hinduism	el hinduismo
Buddhism	el budismo
Jainism	el jainismo
Sikhism	el sijismo
Judaism	el judaísmo
Taoism	el taoísmo
Anglicanism	el anglicanismo
Mormonism	el mormonismo
Shintoism	el sintoísmo
Atheism (secular)	el ateísmo
Agnosticism (secular)	el agnosticismo

Names of Common Followers of World Religions in Spanish

The following list shows the names (masculine and feminine) of the most common religions you’ll hear around the world. Later, we’ll get deeper into their specific vocabulary. 

English	Spanish
Catholic	católico / católica
Christian	cristiano / cristiana
Muslim	musulmán / musulmana
Hindu	hindú
Buddhist	budista
Jewish	judío / judía
Mormon	mormón / mormona
Atheist	ateo / atea
Agnostic	agnóstico / agnóstica

Christianity – Christian Denominations

Now, you’ll find the subgroups within Christianity (or any other religion) that operate under a common name, tradition, and identity; these are called denominations.

English	Spanish
Orthodox	el ortodoxo
Catholicism	el catolicismo
Protestantism	el protestantismo
Lutheranism	el luteranismo
Anglicanism	el anglicanismo
Evangelicalism	el evangelicalismo
Seventh-day Adventist	el adventista del séptimo día

All these Christian denominations have different practices, but something they all share in common is the strong belief that we’ll all achieve salvation by God’s grace (through faith). 

Spanish Vocabulary for Followers: 

Orthodox – el ortodoxo (m), la ortodoxa (f)

Catholicism – el católico (m), la católica (f)

Protestantism – el protestante (m), la protestante (f)

Lutheranism – el luterano (m), la luterana (f)

Anglicanism – el anglicano (m), la anglicana (f)

Evangelicalism – el evangélico (m), la evangélica (f)

Seventh-day Adventist – el adventista del séptimo día (m), la adventista del séptimo día (f)

Judaism – Jewish Denominations

The following vocabulary list includes the branches of Jewish religion. And although they have different thoughts and ways of doing things, all of them share the belief in an omniscient, omnipotent and provident God, who would have created the universe and chosen the Jewish people to reveal the law contained in the Ten Commandments and the ritual prescriptions of the books of the Torah.

English	Spanish
Orthodox	el ortodoxo
Conservative	el conservador
Reform	el reformista
Reconstructionist	el reconstruccionista

Spanish Vocabulary for Followers: 

Orthodox – el ortodoxo (m), la ortodoxa (f)

Conservative – el conservador (m), la conservadora (f)

Reform – el reformista (m), la reformista (f)

Reconstructionist – el reconstruccionista (m), la reconstruccionista (f)

Islam – Islamic Denominations

Next, you’ll find the two main branches of Islam. These two believe in Mahoma as their supreme God, and recognize the Quran as a sacred scripture. 

English	Spanish
Sunni	el sunismo
Shia	el chiismo

Spanish Vocabulary for Followers:

Sunni – el suní/sunita (m), la suní/sunita (f)

Shia – el chií/chiita (m), la chií/chiita (f)

Hinduism – Hindu Denominations

In this list you’ll find the hindu denominations (or subgroups), all of these are traditions within Hinduism centered on one or more gods or goddesses. 

English	Spanish
Vaishnavism	el vaisnavismo
Shiva	el shivaísmo
Shaktism	el shaktismo
Smartism	el smartismo / smarta

Spanish Vocabulary for Followers:

Vaishnavism – el vaishnava (m), la vaishnava (f)

Shiva – el shivaísta / śaivita (m), la shivaísta / śaivita (f)

Shaktism – el shakta (m), la shakta (f) 

Smartism – el smarta (m), la smarta (f)

Buddhism – Buddhist Denominations

The first table includes the two main branches of Buddhism, which are also terms for the classification of Buddhist philosophies and practices. On the other hand, the second table refers to the various Buddhist traditions associated with Tantra and “Secret Mantra” (medieval and sacred texts). 

English	Spanish
Theravada	el theravāda
Mahayana	el mahāyāna

Although these two branches have many differences, both are practiced in India and care about the role of women: they want them to be part of them. 

English	Spanish
Vajrayana	el vajrayāna
Mantrayāna	el mantrayāna
Ghuyamantra	el ghuyamantra
Tantrayāna	el tantrayāna
Tantric Buddhism	el budismo tántrico
Esoteric Buddhism	el budismo esotérico

Spanish Vocabulary for Followers:

Theravada – el theravada / theravadin  (m), la theravada / theravadin (f)

Mahayana – el mahayana (m), la mahayana (f)

The ones in the second table function as adjectives for Buddhist traditions, so they stay the same, but with the word budismo before them. For example:

Vajrayana Buddhism (budismo vajrayana), Mantrayāna Buddhism (budismo mantrayāna), and so on. 

World Religions in Spanish: Abstract Vocabulary

The following table contains religious words that we can’t see with our eyes or touch with our hands. In other words, we can’t perceive them directly with our senses. All these are part of religions’ vocabulary, but each one understands (or uses) them in their own way. 

English	Spanish
faith	la fé
blessings	las bendiciones
beliefs	las creencias
calling	el llamado
prayer	la oración
sin	el pecado
commandments	los mandamientos
laws	las leyes
death	la muerte
eternity	la eternidad
forgiveness	el perdón
glory	la gloria
doctrine	la doctrina
grace	la gracia
miracle	el milagro
God	Dios

World Religions in Spanish: Concrete Vocabulary

Now, in this list you’ll find words related to religion that we can perceive with our senses, meaning we can either touch, see, taste, smell, or even hear them.

English	Spanish
altar	el altar
incense	el incienso
apostle	el apóstol
baptism	el bautismo
blood	la sangre
bread	el pan
church	la iglesia
temple	el templo
Bible	la biblia
Quran	el Corán
Toran	el Torán
gospel	el evangelio
Pope	el Papa
offerings	las ofrendas
follower	el seguidor

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Wasn’t that super interesting? The world is full of different beliefs and practices, and learning religions in Spanish can be very useful to understand the world better and be aware of what people believe in. Did you like learning some Spanish today? Sign up for a free class and have a conversation about world religions with one of our certified Spanish teachers from Guatemala.

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