communicativa

Communicativa is the feminine singular form of the adjective communicativo in Romance languages such as Spanish, Italian, and Portuguese. It denotes something related to communication or oriented toward facilitating communication and is commonly used to modify feminine nouns, for example aptitud comunicativa, habilidad comunicativa, or competencia comunicativa. The English equivalent is communicative.

Etymology and form: Communicativa derives from Latin communicativus, itself from communicare, meaning to share or make common. The term is widely used across languages with similar spellings and related meanings, reflecting its common Latin root.

Usage and contexts: In linguistics and education, communicativa appears in terms describing skills or approaches that emphasize interaction and practical language use. In Spanish, competencia comunicativa refers to the ability to use language effectively in social contexts, encompassing grammar, vocabulary, sociolinguistic knowledge, and strategic competence. In Italian and Portuguese, related expressions such as competenze comunicative or competência comunicativa similarly denote practical communication skills. The phrase also appears in didactics, with expressions like didáctica comunicativa or didáctica/ didática comunicativa in language-teaching traditions that prioritize meaningful communication over rote grammar exercises. Beyond education, communicativa can appear in media, branding, or discourse to signal a focus on clear, interactive communication.

See also: Communicative competence; competence (linguistics); communicative language teaching.