How Do You Say Halloween in Spanish? | Words People Actually Use

In Spanish, people often say “Halloween,” and many speakers also use “Noche de Brujas” as a natural Spanish option.

You’ve got a costume picked out, you’re writing an invite, or you’re helping a kid with Spanish homework. Then the question hits: what do Spanish speakers call Halloween?

Here’s the good news: you don’t need a fancy translation. Spanish has a couple of common choices, and the “right” one depends on what you’re trying to say, where your audience is, and how formal the setting is.

How To Say Halloween In Spanish For Real Conversations

If you want the version that works in almost all places, “Halloween” is the safe pick. A lot of Spanish speakers use the English word as-is in daily speech.

If you want a Spanish phrase that still feels natural, “Noche de Brujas” is widely understood. It reads well on party flyers, school handouts, and social posts.

You’ll also run into “víspera de Todos los Santos” in more formal contexts, since the English word comes from “All Hallows’ Eve.” That phrase is less common in casual chat, but it can fit in writing that explains the meaning.

What Spanish Speakers Call The Holiday

Spanish isn’t one single “standard” in daily usage. A teacher in Madrid, a parent in Mexico City, and a teen in Miami may pick different words, even when they mean the same night.

So it helps to think in terms of audience. Are you speaking to friends? Writing a school note? Making a sign for a party? The best choice changes with that.

Option 1: “Halloween”

Yes, you can just say “Halloween.” In many places it’s the default term, especially in advertising, entertainment, and social media.

Writing tip: you’ll often see it with an initial capital letter when it’s treated as a festivity name in Spanish writing.

Option 2: “Noche de Brujas”

“Noche de Brujas” is a straight, readable Spanish phrase. It fits well when you want Spanish on the page, not just in speech.

“Bruja” means a witch. If you want a dictionary-backed definition, the Diccionario de la lengua española (DLE) includes entries for “brujo, bruja.”

Writing tip: you’ll often see it as “Noche de Brujas,” with capitals on the main words when it’s used as the holiday name, not a random phrase.

Option 3: “Día de Todos los Santos” And Related Dates

In Spanish-speaking calendars, you may see nearby dates and names mentioned alongside Halloween. “Día de Todos los Santos” is November 1 in many places, and people may talk about plans across both nights.

If you’re writing a school note or a calendar entry, it can help to name the exact date along with the holiday label, so readers know what day you mean.

Pronunciation That Sounds Natural

Spanish speakers pronounce “Halloween” in a few common ways. You’ll hear something close to English in many cities. You’ll also hear a Spanish-leaning version where the syllables are clearer and the stress shifts.

Easy Pronunciation Guide

• Halloween: many speakers say something like “ha-lo-WEEN,” with the final syllable stressed.
• Noche de Brujas: “NO-che de BROO-has,” with a soft “j” sound in “brujas.”

That “j” sound can be tricky if you’re new to Spanish. It’s a breathy sound made in the throat, not the English “j” in “jump.” If you want a rule-focused refresher on capital letters in Spanish names and fixed expressions, the RAE’s orthography page on casos en que debe utilizarse la mayúscula inicial is a solid reference.

Writing It Correctly In Spanish Text

If you’re posting on a school website, printing invites, or writing lesson materials, spelling choices matter more than they do in casual speech.

Capital Letters And Italics

When “Halloween” is used as the name of a festivity, many Spanish style references write it with an initial capital letter. The same goes for multi-word names like “Noche de Brujas.” Fundéu adds practical notes on spelling and formatting in Halloween: claves de redacción, and it also explains the broader capitalization rule for festivity names in los nombres de las festividades se escriben con mayúscula.

In casual texting, people often drop capitals. That’s normal in chats. For print, stick with the cleaner form.

Accents: When They Matter

“Halloween” doesn’t take an accent mark in Spanish. It’s kept in its original spelling. “Noche de Brujas” doesn’t take accents either, but nearby phrases might, such as “víspera.”

If you’re typing on a phone, switch to the Spanish layout for a minute. It saves time on accents, and your text looks polished.

Which Term Should You Use?

Use this as a simple decision path. Think about where the words will appear and who will read them.

When “Halloween” Is The Best Pick

• You’re speaking with friends or classmates.
• You’re writing a casual caption or message.
• Your audience already uses the English term.

When “Noche de Brujas” Fits Better

• You want Spanish-first wording on a flyer or invite.
• You’re writing for kids learning Spanish.
• You want a phrase that still feels familiar to most readers.

When A More Formal Phrase Works

• You’re explaining what the word means.
• You’re writing educational content where literal meaning helps.
• You’re pairing it with a calendar note for November 1.

One more tip: if you’re writing for a mixed audience, you can use both once, then stick to one label after that. It keeps the page readable.

Common Spanish Terms Around Halloween

People rarely talk about Halloween in isolation. They talk about costumes, candy, scary movies, and party plans. Knowing a few surrounding words makes your Spanish sound relaxed.

Costumes, Candy, And Decor

• disfraz (costume)
• dulces (candy)
• calabaza (pumpkin)
• fantasma (ghost)
• monstruo (monster)
• telaraña (spiderweb)

Trick-or-treat Phrases You’ll Hear

There isn’t one universal Spanish line for “trick or treat.” Kids and parents use different phrases by region and by school. A few common options are:

• ¿Truco o trato?
• ¡Dulce o truco!
• ¿Nos da dulces?

If you’re writing signage for a kids’ event, pick one phrase and stay consistent. Mixing two or three on the same sign can feel messy.

Term Choices By Context

The same word can feel right on a party poster and odd in a classroom worksheet. This table helps you match the term to the situation.

Spanish Term	Where It Fits	Plain-English Note
Halloween	Daily speech, media, casual writing	Works across many Spanish-speaking areas
Noche de Brujas	Invites, school materials, Spanish-first posts	Natural Spanish phrase, widely understood
Víspera de Todos los Santos	Explaining meaning, formal writing	Literal sense of the English origin
Fiesta de Halloween	Event listings, posters	Combines Spanish “fiesta” with the common name
Noche de Halloween	Calendar notes, schedules	Points to the night itself, not the whole season
Día de Todos los Santos	Religious calendars, school calendars	Often mentioned alongside Halloween dates
Día de Muertos	Mexico-related events, themed lessons	Separate holiday; don’t swap it for Halloween
Noche de terror	Movie nights, themed parties	Describes a vibe, not the holiday name

Mini Scripts You Can Copy

If you’re speaking, it helps to have a ready sentence. These lines keep it simple and natural.

In A Classroom Or Homework Setting

• En español, se dice “Halloween”, y también “Noche de Brujas”.
• Vamos a hablar de disfraces y dulces esta semana.
• ¿De qué vas a ir disfrazado?

For Party Invites And Flyers

• Fiesta de Halloween: ven con tu disfraz.
• Noche de Brujas: concurso de disfraces a las 7.
• Trae dulces para compartir.

For Social Posts

• Feliz Halloween.
• Listos para la Noche de Brujas.
• Disfraces, dulces y calabazas.

Helpful Phrases For Signs, Cards, And Messages

Short text works best on signage. Keep the font big, keep the words simple, and skip long lines.

Use Case	Spanish Wording	Tone
Door sign	¡Hay dulces!	Friendly, simple
Trick-or-treat note	¿Truco o trato?	Classic
Party reminder	Hoy es la fiesta de Halloween.	Clear
Costume contest	Concurso de disfraces	Event-style
Photo booth	Rincón de fotos	Neutral
Kids’ classroom	Trae tu disfraz	Direct
Spooky movie night	Noche de películas de terror	Playful

Small Mistakes People Make

A few mix-ups show up a lot, especially in beginner Spanish. Fixing them is easy once you know what to watch for.

Mixing Halloween With Día de Muertos

They’re not interchangeable. If you’re teaching or writing for a school, keep the names and dates separate. Use “Día de Muertos” only when you mean that holiday, not as a translation of Halloween.

Over-translating

People sometimes try to force a literal word-for-word translation of “Halloween.” In Spanish, the borrowed word “Halloween” already does the job in many settings. Use it without guilt.

Using Random Capitals

In Spanish, capitals follow rules. In informal texts, anything goes. In a printed invite or school handout, use cleaner capitalization for holiday names so it looks consistent.

Quick Checklist Before You Hit Publish

• Pick one main label: “Halloween” or “Noche de Brujas.”
• If your audience includes beginners, introduce both once near the start.
• Keep accent marks where they belong in nearby words like “víspera.”
• Use short lines for signs and flyers.
• Match your wording to the setting: casual chat, school note, or event poster.

That’s it. With these options, you can say it out loud, write it cleanly, and choose the phrasing that fits your audience without overthinking it.