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bachelor and Spanish bachiller
In English
bachelor
an unmarried man / a bachelor's degree
In Spanish
bachiller
graduado de secundaria
Spanish "bachiller" means: high-school graduate
Why they get mixed up Spanish "bachiller" is someone who completed high school, the pre-university level. English "bachelor" is a full four-year university degree. It also means an unmarried man, a sense Spanish doesn't have.
If you want to say...
- bachelor (single man)soltero
- bachelor's degreelicenciatura
- high school diplomabachillerato
Examples
He's still a bachelor.
Sigue soltero.
She has a bachelor's degree in law.
Tiene una licenciatura en derecho.
My uncle is a confirmed bachelor.
Mi tío es un soltero empedernido.
He earned a bachelor's degree in engineering.
Obtuvo una licenciatura en ingeniería.
Common mistakes in Spanish
Incorrect: Terminé el bachiller a los dieciocho años.
Correct: Terminé el bachillerato a los dieciocho años.
Bachiller is a high-school graduate, not a bachelor's degree.
Incorrect: Tengo un bachiller en biología.
Correct: Tengo una licenciatura en biología.
For a university degree use licenciatura or grado.
Phrases you will hear
- a bachelor partyuna despedida de soltero
- a bachelor's degreeuna licenciatura
- a confirmed bachelorun soltero empedernido
- Bachelor of Artslicenciado en Humanidades
- an eligible bachelorun soltero codiciado
- a high school diplomaun diploma de bachillerato
In a conversation
- A:
Are you still a bachelor?
¿Sigues soltero?
- B:
Yes, and I have a bachelor's degree in law.
Sí, y tengo una licenciatura en derecho.
- A:
Are you planning a bachelor party?
¿Estás planeando una despedida de soltero?
- B:
No, I'm not getting married yet.
No, todavía no me caso.
Test yourself
"A bachelor" is...
To remember it
Bachelor = unmarried man, or a degree. A high-school graduate (Spanish "bachiller") = high-school graduate.
Frequently asked questions
What does Spanish "bachiller" mean?
Spanish "bachiller" means "high-school graduate". It looks like the English "bachelor", which is exactly why it gets confused, but "bachelor" means "an unmarried man / a bachelor's degree".
Does English "bachelor" mean the same as Spanish "bachiller"?
Spanish "bachiller" is someone who completed high school, the pre-university level. English "bachelor" is a full four-year university degree. It also means an unmarried man, a sense Spanish doesn't have.