oral
adjectiveCEFR B2
What does “oral” mean in English?
oral — relating to speech; spoken rather than written
oral — relating to speech; spoken rather than written (tradición oral, examen oral)
Example sentences
Las culturas indígenas de América han preservado su historia y cosmovisión principalmente a través de una rica tradición oral.
Indigenous cultures of the Americas have preserved their history and worldview mainly through a rich oral tradition.
El examen oral de acceso al cuerpo de intérpretes evalúa la fluidez, la precisión y la coherencia discursiva del candidato.
The oral entrance exam for the interpreters' corps evaluates the fluency, accuracy and discursive coherence of the candidate.
How to use it
Oral means 'oral' — relating to speech; spoken rather than written. Common collocations: tradición oral, examen oral, presentación oral, comunicación oral, historia oral. Ser: always ser. Antonym in register context: escrito. Register: education, linguistics, medicine (oral as in mouth-related, e.g., higiene oral).
Common mistake
Oral ≠ verbal: verbal in Spanish means 'of or relating to words' (in grammar: verbo verbal) and can include written language. Oral specifically means spoken. 'Un acuerdo verbal' in everyday Spanish usually means a spoken/informal agreement.