Hispanic refers to people who come from or whose families come from Spanish-speaking countries. This includes most of Central America, South America, and Mexico, plus Spain itself and several Caribbean nations like Cuba, Puerto Rico, and the Dominican Republic. If your grandmother grew up in Colombia or your friend's parents came from Spain, they're Hispanic.

The word focuses specifically on language and culture connected to Spain and Spanish. It's why someone from Brazil, where people speak Portuguese, usually isn't considered Hispanic, even though Brazil is in South America. The Spanish language ties these diverse countries together, even though each nation has its own distinct culture, history, food, and traditions.

Hispanic is different from Latino or Latina, though people often use them together or interchangeably. Latino refers to people from Latin America (the region south of the United States), whether they speak Spanish, Portuguese, or other languages. Someone from Brazil is Latino but not Hispanic. Someone from Spain is Hispanic but not Latino, since Spain is in Europe.

In the United States, Hispanic people make up one of the largest cultural groups, contributing tremendously to American music, food, literature, business, science, and civic life. On forms, Hispanic is often listed as an ethnicity category because it helps organizations understand and serve diverse communities better.