The short version: Hispanic refers to people from Spanish-speaking countries — so it includes Spain but excludes Brazil. Latino refers to people from Latin America — so it includes Brazil but excludes Spain. Latinx and Latine are newer gender-neutral alternatives to Latino. And despite the debate online, most U.S. Hispanics actually prefer the word “Hispanic” — only about 4% use “Latinx.”
If you have ever frozen for a second wondering whether to check Hispanic, Latino, Latinx, or Latine on a form, you are not alone. The four words overlap constantly, but they do not mean the same thing — and the difference comes down to three things: language, geography, and gender.
Hispanic vs Latino: what is the actual difference?
Hispanic describes people connected to Spanish-speaking countries. The word traces back to Hispania, the Roman name for the Iberian Peninsula. Because it is about language, it includes Spain and the Spanish-speaking nations of Latin America — but it leaves out Brazil, where the language is Portuguese.
Latino describes people from Latin America — Mexico, Central and South America, and the Caribbean — regardless of language. So Latino includes Brazil but excludes Spain, which is in Europe.
The easiest way to keep it straight:
- A person from Mexico is both Hispanic and Latino.
- A person from Spain is Hispanic but not Latino.
- A person from Brazil is Latino but not Hispanic.
Where “Latinx” and “Latine” come from
Spanish is a gendered language: a group is Latinos (masculine) or Latinas (feminine). Latinx emerged in the 2010s, largely in U.S. academic and LGBTQ+ spaces, as a gender-neutral option. Latine does the same job but fits Spanish pronunciation more naturally, which is why it is more common in Latin America itself.
Here is the part the internet usually skips: actual usage is tiny. According to the Pew Research Center, only about 4% of U.S. Hispanics use “Latinx,” and three-in-four who have heard the term say it should not be used to describe them.
So which term should you actually use?
When Pew asked directly, 52% preferred “Hispanic” and 29% preferred “Latino.” The honest best practice is simple: when you can, ask the person, and default to how a community describes itself. Regionally, “Hispanic” is more common in Texas and the Southwest, while “Latino” dominates on the coasts.
Watch: the difference in three minutes
Why the labels matter
Every one of these words is a pan-ethnic umbrella stretched over wildly different cultures, histories, and races. The same label covers a Puerto Rican, a Guatemalan Maya, an Afro-Cuban, and an Argentine of Italian descent. That is why the terms are useful for forms and politics but useless for describing an actual person — identity is lived in the specifics. You can hear it in the bicultural pride of Selena Quintanilla, see it in the Afro-Indigenous story of the Garífuna, taste it in the Indigenous foods of the Americas, and feel it in the Caribbean roots of hip-hop.
Use the umbrella when you need it. Just remember there is a whole world of distinct people underneath it.
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between Hispanic and Latino?
Hispanic refers to people from Spanish-speaking countries (including Spain, excluding Brazil), while Latino refers to people from Latin America (including Brazil, excluding Spain). Someone from Mexico is both; a Spaniard is Hispanic but not Latino; a Brazilian is Latino but not Hispanic.
Is a Brazilian Hispanic or Latino?
Latino. Brazil is part of Latin America, so Brazilians are Latino, but because the country speaks Portuguese rather than Spanish, they are not considered Hispanic.
What does Latinx mean?
Latinx is a gender-neutral alternative to the gendered Spanish words Latino and Latina. It emerged in the 2010s, mainly in U.S. academic and LGBTQ+ communities. “Latine” is a similar gender-neutral term that fits Spanish pronunciation more naturally.
Is it offensive to say Latinx?
Not inherently, but it is unpopular: Pew Research found that only about 4% of U.S. Hispanics use it, and most who have heard the term prefer it not be applied to them. When unsure, “Hispanic,” “Latino,” or simply asking is safer.
Do most Hispanics prefer “Hispanic” or “Latino”?
Surveys consistently find “Hispanic” is preferred. In Pew’s research, 52% preferred Hispanic and 29% preferred Latino, with the rest having no preference.
Watch on Wehpa
For more on the cultures hiding under one label, head to Wehpa TV — free on Roku.
