Learn About Nouns in Spanish
This page provides a comprehensive guide to understanding and using nouns in Spanish. Includes examples and exercises.
corbata
tie
The Spanish word 'corbata' translates to 'tie' in English. In the English language, 'tie' is a noun which refers to a long piece of cloth worn for decorative purposes around the neck or shoulders, resting under the shirt collar and knotted at the throat. There are different types of ties, such as bow ties, bolo ties, and neckties. These are commonly worn for formal occasions, work, or meetings, and they are often seen as a symbol of professionalism in many cultures.
córnea
cornea
The Spanish word 'córnea' translates to 'cornea' in English. The cornea is the clear, dome-shaped surface that covers the front of the eye. It plays a pivotal role in focusing your vision as it allows light to enter the eye. In Spanish-speaking countries, 'córnea' is used in the same context as it is in English, often in medical or scientific conversations.
coro
chorus
Coro translates into 'Chorus'. It's a part of a song that is repeated after each verse, typically with a catchy tune.
Example sentences with coro →cortarse el pelo
haircut
The Spanish phrase 'cortarse el pelo' translates to 'haircut' in English. It is a compound verb phrase that literally means 'to cut one's hair'. In Spanish, reflexive verbs like 'cortarse' are used to express personal actions, so 'cortarse el pelo' refers to the action of cutting one's own hair, similar to how we use the term 'haircut' to refer to the act of having one's hair cut by another person.
Example sentences with cortarse el pelo →corte
court
In Spanish, the term 'corte' is often used in legal contexts similar to English. It could refer to a place where legal cases are heard and decisions made ('en el corte'), but it also has other meanings including a cut or incision, or a group of people attending a high-ranking person such as a monarch ('la corte real'). Like many words, its particular meaning can depend on context.
Example sentences with corte →corte de pelo
haircut
The Spanish phrase 'corte de pelo' refers to the act or process of cutting and styling the hair. It is commonly used in beauty and hair salons. In English, it translates to 'haircut'. This can be any form of hair styling where the hair is cut, such as a trim, layered cut, bob, or buzz cut. The phrase has the literal breakdown of 'corte' meaning 'cut' and 'pelo' meaning 'hair', which together form 'cut of hair' or more naturally, 'haircut'.
Example sentences with corte de pelo →cortina
curtain
The Spanish word 'cortina' translates to 'curtain' in English. It is commonly used in the context of home decor, particularly in living spaces like living rooms and bedrooms. Curtains are pieces of fabric or other materials that hang in front of windows or separate spaces, which could block light, sound, drafts, or anything else that you don't want to have in a particular space.
corto
short
The Spanish word 'corto' translates to 'short' in English. It can be used to describe a range of things from physical length or duration of something. It can also be used in context to refer to a short film or story (cortometraje), short hair cut (corte corto) or short pants (pantalones cortos). The exact connotation can vary depending upon its application in sentence.
Example sentences with corto →cosa
thing
The Spanish word 'cosa' is used in a similar context as the English word 'thing'. It is used to refer to an object, idea, situation or a factual event. For instance, in the phrase 'What's that thing?' can be translated to '¿Qué es esa cosa?'
Example sentences with cosa →cosas
stuff
The Spanish word for 'stuff' is 'cosas'. Just like in English, 'cosas' is a general term that can refer to a variety of objects, materials, or topics. It is often used when the speaker does not want to specify or does not know exactly what they are referring to. For example, 'Tengo muchas cosas que hacer' translates to 'I have a lot of stuff to do'.
Example sentences with cosas →costa
coast
The Spanish word 'costa' translates to 'coast' in English. It refers to the land along the edge of a sea, ocean, lake, or river. This could be either a beach with sand or pebbles or a steep cliff like terrain. It functions as a noun in the sentence.
Example sentences with costa →costilla
rib
The word 'costilla' is a Spanish term that translates to 'rib' in English. It is most commonly used in contexts related to anatomy and food. In terms of anatomy, 'costilla' refers to any of the curved bones which form the chest wall in humans and many animals, protecting the heart and lungs. In a culinary context, 'costillas' often refers to a popular dish, often being a cut of meat from this area of an animal, most typically a cow or pig, and often barbecued or roasted as a delicious meal.
costo
cost
In Spanish, the word for 'cost' is 'costo'. It is used in similar contexts as it is in English. For example, when talking about the expense of an item or a service, you could say 'el costo de este producto es...' which means 'the cost of this product is...'
Example sentences with costo →cráneo
skull
The Spanish word 'cráneo' translates to 'skull' in English. This term is usually used in a biological or medical context to refer to the structure of the head that encloses the brain and supports the structures of the face. It is composed of several bones, including the cranium (upper part) and the facial bones. These bones are often studied in both human and animal anatomy. Understanding the term 'cráneo' could be useful if you're taking a biology class in Spanish, or if you'll be visiting a doctor or hospital in a Spanish-speaking country.
crecimiento
growth
The Spanish word 'crecimiento' is typically used in a context where there is an increase or development, for example in plants or in the economy. It can be used similarly to the English word 'growth', in such cases as 'economic growth' (crecimiento económico) or 'population growth' (crecimiento poblacional).
Example sentences with crecimiento →crema
cream
The Spanish word 'crema' translates to 'cream' in English. In Spain, 'crema' can refer to a type of custard dessert, similar to crème brûlée, but it is also commonly used to describe any type of cream, such as those used in cooking or cosmetic creams. It's a versatile word that may refer to a variety of creamy texture products, depending on the context.
Example sentences with crema →creyente
believer
The Spanish word 'creyente' translates to 'believer' in English. This term is generally used to refer someone who believes or has faith, especially in a religious context. For instance, it can be used to describe someone who believes in a particular religion, or in the doctrines and teachings of that religion. 'Creyente' carries much the same connotations as its English equivalent and can also be used metaphorically to describe someone who has a firm belief in non-religious ideas or principles.
Example sentences with creyente →crudo
raw
The Spanish word 'crudo' translates to 'raw' in English. It is an adjective commonly used to describe food that is not cooked such as vegetables, sushi, or meat. It can also be used figuratively to describe concepts, situations, or experiences that are harsh, unfiltered, or unrefined.
cuadra
block
The Spanish word 'cuadra' translates to 'block' in English. In urban Spanish-speaking areas, this term often refers to a city block, which is the distance between one street and the next. In other contexts, it could be used to describe a block of items or a block of content. However, it is always important to consider the context in which 'cuadra' is used to understand its exact meaning, as like with many words in many languages, its interpretation can change.
Example sentences with cuadra →cualquier cosa
anything
The Spanish word 'cualquier cosa' translates to 'anything' in English. It can be used in a variety of contexts, but often to indicate that any kind of thing can happen, be achieved, or is possible. Similar to how it's used in English, 'cualquier cosa' can also be used in a negative context to imply that nothing in particular is wanted or acceptable.
Example sentences with cualquier cosa →cuchara
spoon
The word 'cuchara' is a noun in Spanish language which translates to the word 'spoon' in English. It is widely used in the household, dining, or kitchen context and refers to the utensil commonly used to stir, serve, or consume food. The plural form is 'cucharas'.
cuchillo
knife
The Spanish word 'cuchillo' translates to 'knife' in English. It is commonly used for a tool or weapon with a cutting edge or blade, often attached to a handle or hilt. One of the earliest tools used by humanity, knives appeared at least two-and-a-half million years ago, as evidenced by the Oldowan tools. The 'cuchillo' is used in the kitchen for food preparation, or as a utensil.
cuello
neck
The Spanish word 'cuello' translates to 'neck' in English. It refers to the part of the body that connects the head to the rest of the body. This term is used in various contexts, such as anatomy, clothing, and phrases. In anatomy, 'cuello' refers to the physical body part. In clothing, 'cuello' might refer to the neck or collar of a shirt or top. In phrases, an example is 'romper el cuello', a Spanish idiom referring to straining one's neck.
cuenta
account
The Spanish word 'cuenta' is commonly used to refer to an 'account'. It can be specifically used to refer to different types of accounts like bank account (cuenta bancaria), email account (cuenta de correo electrónico), or account on a social network (cuenta de redes sociales). For example, 'Tengo una cuenta en el banco' translates to 'I have an account at the bank'. This word can also mean 'bill' or 'check' in a restaurant setting, but for the purpose of this translation we are focusing on its primary meaning.
Example sentences with cuenta →cuerda
rope
The Spanish word 'cuerda' translates to 'rope' in English. It can refer to a long, string-like material that is often made from various fibrous or synthetic materials. Ropes have a variety of uses, including lifting or pulling objects, tying things together, and various forms of recreation like climbing or jump rope. In musical context, 'cuerda' can also refer to a string in stringed musical instruments.
Example sentences with cuerda →cuerpo
body
The Spanish word 'cuerpo' is used in the same way as the English term 'body'. It is a general term referring to the physical structure of a human or animal. This can be used in a variety of contexts, like describing physical health, anatomy, or appearance. Example: Mi cuerpo no es capaz de tolerar el frío (My body is not able to tolerate the cold).
Example sentences with cuerpo →cuidado
care
The Spanish word 'cuidado' is used in much the same way as the English word 'care.' It can refer to the action of caring for someone or something, such as in the phrase 'cuidado de niños,' which means 'childcare.' It can also function as an interjection, used to warn of danger or caution, much like saying 'careful!' in English.
Example sentences with cuidado →cultura
culture
The Spanish word for 'culture' is 'cultura'. It's used in the same way as in English, referring to the customs, arts, social institutions, and achievements of a particular nation or people. For example, it can be used in a sentence like 'La cultura española es reconocida por su flamenco y su pasión por el fútbol' which translates to 'Spanish culture is known for its flamenco and passion for football'.
Example sentences with cultura →curiosidad
curiosity
The Spanish word 'curiosidad' translates to 'curiosity' in English. This is a noun that relates to the desire to learn or know about anything; inquisitiveness. For instance, interest or novelty towards things, people, places etc. The attribute of being intrigued or nosy is best described by the word 'curiosidad' in Spanish.
curso
course
The Spanish word 'curso' is used similarly to the English word 'course'. It can refer to a program of lessons in a specific subject area, a direction that something or someone moves, or a part of a meal. The context of the sentence typically makes it clear which meaning is intended.
Example sentences with curso →