el tipo

Definition & meaning

Tipo has several meanings, depending on context:

1. Type, kind, or category
   Used to classify something: ¿Qué tipo de música te gusta? means “What kind of music do you like?”

2. Guy, man, or person
   Informally, it can refer to a man or person: Ese tipo es amable means “That guy is kind.” Depending on tone, it can sound casual or dismissive.

3. Style, model, or something like
   It can describe a style or approximate example. In casual speech, it can also mean “around” or “approximately,” as in tipo las ocho (“around eight”).

4. Rate or ratio, especially in set terms
   For example, it appears in expressions for an interest rate or an exchange rate.

Grammar & Word origin

Tipo is a masculine noun: its plural is tipos. The feminine form tipa can informally mean “woman” or “girl,” but it is less common and may sound dismissive.

The word comes through Latin typus from Greek týpos, meaning a mark, impression, or model.

Synonyms & antonyms

There is no single synonym that works for every meaning:

• clase ↗, categoría ↗, and género ↗ can mean “kind” or “category.” They are generally more neutral and do not carry the informal “guy” meaning of tipo.
• individuo ↗ and sujeto ↗ can mean “person,” but may sound more formal, impersonal, or disapproving.
• tasa [?](vocabuo://word/tasa] can mean “rate,” but is used for particular measurements and financial rates rather than for kinds or people.

Tipo has no direct antonym. When it means a broad category, words such as específico ↗ or concreto ↗ may contrast with it in context.

Common phrases & collocations

• tipo de ↗ — “type of” or “kind of”
• tipo de interés ↗ — “interest rate”
• tipo de cambio ↗ — “exchange rate”
• un tipo ↗ — “a guy” or “a person”
• tipo las ocho ↗ — “around eight” (informal)