sistema
system
noun sees-TEH-mah Common
Origin: From Greek systema, 'organized whole.'
Usage Note
Sistema is masculine despite ending in -a, following the Greek-origin -ma pattern (el sistema, not la sistema). It is a high-frequency word in formal registers — political, technological, biological — and rarely used in casual speech for small-scale organization. The plural sistemas is regular.
Examples
"El sistema educativo necesita mejoras."
Natural Translation
The education system needs improvements.

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