The adaptation of foreign words into Spanish is one of the most delicate and debated tasks in linguistic regulations. Everyday words, especially those from English, generate recurring doubts about their correct spelling. One of the clearest examples is that of whisky, a widely known drink whose name has raised spelling questions for decades. In this context, the Royal Spanish Academy (RAE) has established a position that is surprising for many speakers and that goes beyond the traditionally known forms.
Although the most common in common usage is to keep the English spelling whisky, this is not the preferred option by the RAE when it is written in Spanish. The academic institution reminds us that, since it is a non-adapted foreign word, it should be written in italics. However, both the Diccionario de la lengua española (DLE) and the Diccionario panhispánico de dudas (DPD) include fully valid alternatives within the Spanish spelling system.
The traditional form: ‘güisqui’, valid but not well established.
For years, the best known and most widely used adaptation in the dictionary has been güisqui. This form appears in the DLE as a graphic adaptation of the English term whisky and responds to the attempt to reproduce its pronunciation by means of the Spanish rules. According to the academic definition, it is a masculine noun that designates the alcoholic liquor obtained from the grain of some plants, through the distillation of an amylaceous compound in a state of fermentation.
The dictionary also states that whisky is a synonym of güisqui, although this second form represents an effort to adapt the term to the Spanish spelling. The etymological origin of the word is in the Gaelic uisce beatha, which literally means “water of life”, a historical reference to the distilling tradition of this drink.
Despite its normative correctness, güisqui has never really established itself in real usage. Many speakers perceive it as artificial or excessively forced, which has contributed to the fact that the English spelling is still the most commonly used, although it must be written in italics.
The RAE’s preferred proposal: ‘wiski’.
The real surprise comes when consulting the Pan-Hispanic Dictionary of Doubts (DPD). In this normative work, the RAE proposes ‘wiski’ as the preferred graphic adaptation of the English term. This recommendation seeks a more natural integration of the foreign word into the Spanish graphic system and aims to avoid frequent errors derived from the original spelling.
According to the DPD, wiski reflects in a simpler and more coherent way the pronunciation of the English term, without resorting to less common graphic combinations for today’s speaker. In addition, this form allows for a more natural inflection within the language: the correct plural is wiskis, a construction that is more intuitive than güisquis.
The Academy points out that, although güisqui is still valid, wiski is closer to the English etym from a functional point of view and facilitates its incorporation into the everyday use of written Spanish. This preference responds to criteria of graphic simplicity and progressive adaptation, common in the linguistic policy of the RAE.
Which forms are not recommended by the RAE
In this standardization process, the RAE also establishes clear limits. One of the variants it discourages is wisqui, a spelling that does not have sufficient normative support and does not appear as a valid form in academic works. Despite its occasional presence in informal texts, it is not considered a correct adaptation.
The objective of these recommendations is not to multiply the options, but to reduce graphic dispersion and orient the use towards forms consistent with the orthography of Spanish.
Wiskería’, recommended derivative
The adaptation is not limited to the noun designating the drink. The DPD also proposes wiskería to refer to the establishment where this liquor is served, following the same logic of graphic adaptation. This form coexists with güisquería, which is also considered valid if the traditional adaptation is chosen.
The preference for wiskería responds to the same criteria that drives the use of wiski: greater graphic naturalness and a less forced perception on the part of the speakers.
FundéuRAE’s criteria
FundéuRAE has also pronounced itself on this issue, reinforcing the academic position. When faced with the doubt between using the English term or an adapted form, its recommendation is clear: both options are correct, but must be used appropriately.
If whisky is chosen, it must be written in italics, since it is an unadapted foreign word. On the other hand, güisqui and wiski can be written without any typographic highlighting, since they are fully integrated into the Spanish system.
In addition, the Fundéu points out that the most recent orthography supports ‘wiski’ as the preferred adaptation, precisely because it is more natural for today’s speakers and because it avoids less common graphic combinations.
