perestroika

noun peh-rehs-TROY-kah Rare

Origin: From Russian perestroika (restructuring).

Usage Note

Perestroika entered Spanish as a direct borrowing from Russian, referring to Mikhail Gorbachev's political and economic reform programme of the 1980s. In Spanish it is treated as a feminine noun (la perestroika) by analogy with other -a ending loanwords. It is now used more broadly to mean any sweeping political restructuring.

Examples

"La perestroika transformó la Unión Soviética."

Natural Translation

Perestroika transformed the Soviet Union.

Free starter pack

Building your Spanish vocabulary?

Get the 100 most common Spanish words as a free PDF — one email, no spam.

Related Words

Explore Spanish by topic

SpanishNow

Spanish Filler Words: 15 Ways to Sound Natural

Spanish filler words like pues, o sea, and vale make you sound natural, not robotic. Learn 15 muletillas sorted by job, by region, and when not to use them.

June 9, 2026 6 min read

SpanishNow

How to Say "I Like" in Spanish: Gustar Without the Confusion

Say I like in Spanish with gustar the right way: me gusta vs me gustan, why it's never yo gusto, the pronouns, articles, and five verbs that copy the pattern.

June 9, 2026 6 min read

SpanishNow

How to Tell Time in Spanish: A Beginner's Guide

Tell time in Spanish with one formula: es la una vs son las, y and menos for minutes, plus de la mañana, en punto, and 24-hour station times.

June 9, 2026 5 min read

SpanishNow

El or La? Spanish Noun Gender Rules Made Simple

El or la? Spanish noun gender is ~99% readable off the word's ending. Learn the o/a defaults, LONERS, feminine endings, and the handful of rebels to memorize.

June 3, 2026 7 min read