What’s the Capital of Panama in Spanish? | Right Form

The capital is called Panamá in Spanish, and you’ll also see Ciudad de Panamá used as a clarifying label.

If you’re trying to write the capital of Panama in Spanish for a caption, a form, or a translation, the safest Spanish answer is short: Panamá. That’s the city name locals use day to day, and it matches the way major style references treat the capital’s name.

So why do you keep spotting “Ciudad de Panamá” on maps and travel sites? It’s a label that makes the meaning obvious when a reader might confuse the city with the country. Spanish does that a lot: it uses a category word (“Ciudad de…”) when clarity matters, even when the proper name is still just “Panamá.”

Capital Of Panama In Spanish With Clean Spelling

In Spanish, the capital’s proper name is Panamá. The accent mark stays, even in all caps. You’ll see it written as PANAMÁ on signs and documents for the same reason you’d write MÉXICO or BOGOTÁ: the stress and pronunciation are part of the spelling.

The Real Academia Española keeps a public list of recommended spellings for UN member countries and their capitals in Spanish. Panama appears as Panamá (country) and Panamá (capital). That pairing is why writers sometimes add a clarifier when context is thin. RAE list of countries and capitals shows the recommended forms.

In English, the capital is commonly “Panama City.” Spanish does not need that pattern. If you translate “Panama City” word for word, you get “Ciudad de Panamá,” which is widely understood and widely used, yet it’s still functioning as “the city of Panamá.” You can use it when your reader might mix up the place names.

When “Ciudad De Panamá” Helps

Use “Ciudad de Panamá” when your sentence contains both the country and the city, or when the surrounding words don’t make it clear which one you mean. It reads clean in travel writing, mailing addresses, and any place where a reader is scanning.

The RAE even notes in a public reply that the capital’s name is “Panamá,” while “ciudad de” often appears in front as a category label. RAEconsulta on the capital’s name captures that usage in plain language.

When “Panamá” Is The Better Pick

If you’re answering a quiz, labeling a map, translating a short phrase, or writing a single-word entry in a dropdown, “Panamá” is usually the best fit. It’s compact, standard, and matches how Spanish texts refer to the capital in normal prose.

Reference works in English also describe Panama City as the capital; that’s helpful when you’re checking you have the right place, then switching back to Spanish forms. Britannica’s Panama City entry is one such baseline description.

Spelling Details That Trip People Up

Two small details cause most mistakes: the accent mark and the “n” vs. “ñ” issue. Good news: Panamá uses a plain n, not ñ. The only mark to remember is the accent on the last “a.”

If typing accents feels annoying, you can still write Panamá on almost any device with a long-press menu (mobile) or an international layout (desktop). On Windows, many people use Alt codes. On macOS, the Option modifier works well. If you’re posting professionally, it’s worth the extra two seconds, since missing accents can look sloppy in Spanish copy.

Want a simple rule to remember why the accent is there? FundéuRAE’s notes on American place names list Panamá with the accent and treats the unaccented “Panama” as an English form. FundéuRAE list of American place names is a handy cross-check.

Capital Letters And Accents Still Apply

Spanish keeps accent marks in uppercase letters. So, “PANAMÁ” is the correct all-caps form. Spanish spelling references also treat place names as proper nouns, so they take an initial capital letter in normal sentence case.

This matters most in headlines and signage, where all caps are common. If you drop the accent, you’re not just changing style. You’re changing the spelling.

How To Use The Capital Name In Real Sentences

Once you know the core forms, the next step is picking the one that fits your sentence. Here are a few patterns that stay natural in Spanish.

When The City Stands Alone

If your sentence is clearly about travel, government, or a location inside the country, “Panamá” is usually enough. Spanish readers take it as the capital city in that context. Think: flights, meetings, hotels, museums, and official offices.

When The Country And City Appear Together

If both show up in the same line, clarity wins. “Panamá” can mean the country or the city, so add a label. “Ciudad de Panamá” is the most common. In some writing, you’ll also see “Panamá (ciudad)” in parentheses when space is tight.

When You’re Labeling A Map Or Chart

Maps, tables, and charts are skimmed, not read. In those formats, “Ciudad de Panamá” reduces misreads. If your design is tight, “Panamá” plus a context label elsewhere (legend, heading, column title) can also work.

Spanish Forms You’ll See For The Capital

The same place can show up under different labels depending on context. This table will help you pick a form that matches the situation without overthinking it.

Spanish Form	Where You’ll See It	When To Use It
Panamá	General Spanish writing, quizzes, short labels	Best default when context already points to the capital city
Ciudad de Panamá	Travel sites, maps, headings, logistics	Use when a reader might confuse city and country
PANAMÁ	Signage, posters, all-caps titles	All-caps styling that still keeps the accent mark
Panamá (ciudad)	Charts, notes, space-limited layouts	Use when you need a short disambiguation
Panamá, Panamá	Addresses and data systems	Often appears as city + province in datasets and mailing formats
Distrito de Panamá	Administrative references	Use when you mean the district, not just the urban core
Área metropolitana de Panamá	Planning and transport contexts	Use when you mean the metro area rather than the city proper
Ciudad Panamá	Informal shorthand, brand names	Use only when copying an official name or sign; it reads clipped in formal Spanish

Picking The Right Form For School, Travel, And Work

A lot of readers land on this question because they need one line of Spanish that won’t get flagged as “wrong.” The context below should cover most real-life uses.

School Assignments And Quizzes

If the task is “Name the capital in Spanish,” write “Panamá.” Teachers and textbooks usually want the standard capital list form. If the task is translation and the English prompt says “Panama City,” “Ciudad de Panamá” is also fine, since you’re translating a phrase, not filling a one-word slot.

Travel Bookings And Flights

Airline systems may show the city as “Panama City” or use airport codes (PTY for Tocumen). When you’re writing Spanish notes, itineraries, or messages, “Panamá” is what you’ll see most often. When you’re labeling a folder or itinerary that includes the country name too, “Ciudad de Panamá” prevents mix-ups.

Mailing Addresses And Forms

Forms can be rigid. If a form has separate fields for city and country, the city field can be “Panamá” and the country field “Panamá.” That looks odd if you’re not used to it, yet it’s normal. If the form is a single free-text address line, “Ciudad de Panamá” can make the meaning clear for international mail handlers.

News, Reports, And Research Writing

In longer text, writers usually establish the location once, then stick to a consistent label. A common pattern is “la ciudad de Panamá” in the first mention (lowercase “ciudad” as a common noun), then “Panamá” after that. It keeps the prose from feeling repetitive.

Common Mix-Ups And Clean Fixes

Most errors fall into a few buckets. Fixing them is simple once you know what you’re looking at.

Mix-Up: Dropping The Accent

“Panama” without the accent is an English spelling. In Spanish, write “Panamá.” If you’re quoting a brand name or an English title, keep it as the original, then return to the Spanish spelling in your own text.

Mix-Up: Treating “Ciudad De” As Part Of The Name Every Time

“Ciudad de Panamá” is widely used, yet you don’t need it in every line. If your paragraph already makes it clear you mean the city, “Panamá” reads lighter and more natural.

Mix-Up: Using “Panama City” In Spanish Copy

If you’re writing Spanish and you want the English city label, it’s better to switch to the Spanish label instead: “Ciudad de Panamá.” Keeping a single language inside a sentence avoids an awkward feel.

Last Checks Before You Hit Publish

If you’re writing for a blog, worksheet, newsletter, or a client, run these short checks. They’ll catch the common slipups without turning your edit into a time sink.

Use Case	Recommended Spanish	What This Avoids
One-word capital answer	Panamá	Wrong English spelling in a Spanish list
Translating “Panama City”	Ciudad de Panamá	Mixing English and Spanish labels
All-caps headline	PANAMÁ	Losing the accent mark in uppercase
Sentence with both country and city	Panamá (país) + Ciudad de Panamá (capital)	Reader confusion when both names match
Chart column label	Ciudad de Panamá	Misreads in skim-friendly formats
Address with separate fields	Ciudad: Panamá; País: Panamá	Second-guessing a normal form entry
Long article after first mention	Panamá	Clunky repetition of “Ciudad de …” in every line

A Simple Answer You Can Trust

When someone asks for the capital in Spanish, “Panamá” is the clean answer. Use “Ciudad de Panamá” when you need a clarifier in tight contexts, then keep your wording consistent. Add the accent mark every time, even in caps, and you’ll match standard Spanish spelling references.