A comprehensive collection of animal vocabulary in Spanish to improve your language skills. Find names for a wide variety of animals in Spanish.
The Spanish word 'mosquito' translates to 'mosquito' in English. It is used to describe a small flying insect that feeds on the blood of humans and animals. These insects are usually active during the nighttime or in dark places. They are considered pests because some types of mosquitoes are carriers of diseases such as malaria, dengue fever, and zika virus.
Example sentences with mosquito →The word 'muela' in Spanish does not translate to 'fly' in English. Instead, 'muela' is translated as 'molar'. A molar is a type of tooth located at the back of the mouth, designed for grinding food during chewing. The term 'fly' is translated to 'mosca' in Spanish.
The Spanish word 'nido' translates to 'nest' in English. A nest is a structure built by certain animals to hold their eggs and provide a safe place where they can take care of their offspring. Similarly, in Spanish, 'nido' is used to refer to the home or shelter created by birds or other animals for the same purpose. It can also be metaphorically used to refer to a protected or comfortable place where a person, family, or other group lives.
Example sentences with nido →The Spanish word 'nobleza' translates to 'nobility' in English. It is a noun that is used to describe the quality of being noble in character or high in moral qualities. This word is commonly used in the context of aristocracy or upper classes in society, but it can also refer to a person's noble qualities or actions. So, in a broader sense, 'nobleza' could mean decent, ethical, or honorable behavior that showcases one's good character or high moral standards.
Example sentences with nobleza →The word 'oca' in Spanish translates to 'goose' in English. It is a noun and refers to a large waterbird with a long neck, short legs, webbed feet, and a short broad bill. Geese are generally white or gray with a black neck and head. They are known for their often aggressive behavior and their distinctive honking sound. They can be found in both wild and domesticated varieties.
Example sentences with oca →Bears are carnivoran mammals of the family Ursidae. They are classified as caniforms, or doglike carnivorans. Bears are found on the continents of North America, South America, Europe, and Asia.
Example sentences with oso →A sheep is a quadrupedal, ruminant mammal typically kept as livestock. Sheep are raised for fleece, meat (lamb or mutton), and milk. They can be found in parts of Europe, Asia and Africa.
Example sentences with oveja →A warm-blooded egg-laying vertebrate distinguished by the possession of feathers, beaks, and typically by being able to fly.
Example sentences with pájaro →The Spanish verb 'parir' translates into English as 'to give birth'. It refers precisely to the act of a mother bringing forth a young from the womb, such act that happens in most mammals including humans. It is generally used in a biological or medical context. However, it can also be used metaphorically in various expressions or contexts.
A duck is a bird that is also a common name for a wide variety of waterfowl. Ducks are mostly aquatic birds, smaller than swans and geese, and may be found in both fresh and seawater.
Example sentences with pato →The Spanish word 'pavo' translates to 'turkey' in English. 'Pavo' is a noun and is typically used to describe the large bird that's often associated with Thanksgiving in North America. It can also refer to the meat of this bird used as food. Examples of 'pavo' in use could be: 'El pavo está en el horno,' which translates to 'The turkey is in the oven,' or 'Comeremos pavo en Acción de Gracias,' which means 'We will eat turkey on Thanksgiving.'
Example sentences with pavo →'Perro' is a noun in Spanish that refers to the domestic animal known for its loyalty, obedience, and playful nature. Dogs are often kept as pets for companionship.
Example sentences with perro →The Spanish phrase 'perro callejero' translates to 'street dog' in English. This phrase might be used to refer to stray dogs, or dogs that live on the street without a specific home or owner. These dogs tend to survive by scavenging for food and shelter, and may be wild or semi-wild. The term 'perro callejero' can sometimes carry a negative connotation, portraying a dog as unclean or potentially dangerous due to the conditions in which it lives.
Example sentences with perro callejero →The Spanish phrase 'perro de caza' translates to 'hunting dog' in English. These dogs are typically bred and trained for assisting hunters in tracking and retrieving game, particularly birds. Hunting dogs have been popular among hunters for centuries, and they come in a variety of breeds, each with their own strengths and skills for hunting.
Example sentences with perro de caza →The Spanish phrase 'perro policía' translates to 'police dog' in English. This term describes a dog that is specifically trained to assist police and other law-enforcement personnel in their work, such as in searching for drugs, explosives, locating missing people, finding crime scene evidence, and protecting their handlers.
Example sentences with perro policía →'Pescado' is the Spanish term for 'fish'. This word is particularly significant in coastal regions where fish is a prevalent part of the local diet.
Example sentences with pescado →The Spanish word 'pezuña' translates to 'hoof' in English. Animals such as horses, deer, and pigs have 'pezuñas' or hooves. Hooves are the hard, thick parts at the ends of an animal's legs. They are used by animals for walking and running on different terrains. These hooves help protect their feet from injury. In many cultures, horseshoes are made to protect 'pezuñas' or hooves and are seen as symbols of good luck.
Example sentences with pezuña →The word 'pollo' translates to 'chicken' in English. Given chicken is a common food item in most meals across Spanish-speaking countries, this word is valuable for beginners learning Spanish.
Example sentences with pollo →The Spanish term 'pollo de corral' translates into English as 'free range chicken'. This refers to chickens that are allowed to roam freely outdoors, instead of being confined in an enclosure for 24 hours each day. These chickens are typically raised for their meat and eggs, and are considered to be more ethical and sustainable than intensively farmed chickens.
Example sentences with pollo de corral →The phrase 'poner un huevo' directly translates to 'put an egg' in English. However, in colloquial Spanish, it often depicts laying an egg, typically in the context of bird reproduction. It is also used figuratively to refer to an action resulting in a difficult or uncomfortable situation.
Example sentences with poner un huevo →The Spanish word 'rebaño' is translated into English as 'flock'. It refers to a group of animals, particularly birds or sheep, that move together and are often raised or kept by a person for farming purposes or commercial uses. This term indicates the common behavior of these animals to stay close to each other for protection or breeding.
Example sentences with rebaño →The Spanish verb 'reproducirse' translates to 'reproduce' in English. It describes the process where living organisms create an offspring or a new individual of the same kind. This could be in the context of human beings, animals, plants, or even cells. 'Reproducirse' can be used in various tenses and grammatical constructs in Spanish, just like 'reproduce' in English.
Example sentences with reproducirse →The Spanish word 'reptar' can be translated into English as 'to crawl' or 'to creep'. It is generally used to describe the way babies, animals, or insects move, typically on their hands and knees or on all fours, often with a slow and steady motion. It can also metaphorically refer to the gradual or stealthy progression of something.
Example sentences with reptar →The word 'reptil' in Spanish translates to 'reptile' in English. A reptile is a type of animal that is cold-blooded, typically lays eggs, and has skin covered in scales or bony plates. Examples of reptiles include snakes, lizards, crocodiles, turtles, and tortoises. 'Reptil' can be used in a similar way in Spanish, to refer to these types of creatures.
Example sentences with reptil →The Spanish word 'rugir' translates to 'roar' in English. It is often used to describe the loud, deep sound made by wild animals such as lions or tigers. Similarly, it can also be used to denote a loud, deep, or harsh sound produced by natural phenomenon like thunder or sea waves. In literature or other forms of expressive writing and speaking, 'rugir' may be used metaphorically to convey great anger or intensity.
Example sentences with rugir →A snake is a carnivorous reptile with elongated, legless body. Snakes are found in diverse habitats ranging from terrestrial, aquatic, to arboreal. There are over 3,000 species of snakes.
Example sentences with serpiente →The Spanish word 'tigre' translates to 'tiger' in English. Tigers are the largest species among the Felidae family and are known for their pattern of dark vertical stripes on orange-brown fur with a lighter underside. They are apex predators, primarily preying on ungulates such as deer and bovids. They are territorial and generally solitary animals, often requiring large contiguous areas of habitat that support their prey requirements. This, coupled with the fact that they are indigenous to some of the more densely populated places on earth, has caused significant conflicts with humans.
Example sentences with tigre →The word 'trepar' in Spanish translates to 'climb' in English. It is a verb that is used in the context of ascending, particularly by using one's hands and feet or any other means to move upward. One might 'trepar' a tree, a mountain, or any other vertical or near-vertical surface. A similar English verb could be 'scale'. Note that 'trepar' is also often used metaphorically, just as 'climb' is in English. For example, one might 'trepar' the social or corporate ladder.
Example sentences with trepar →The Spanish word 'trompa' is translated into English as 'trunk' or 'horn', depending on the context. Usually, in the context of an elephant, 'trompa' refers to the elephant's trunk. In the context of musical instruments or a vehicle, it refers to a horn. It's important to remember that languages aren't coded; words carry different meanings in different situations.
Example sentences with trompa →