Language/Spanish/Vocabulary/Animals

Spanish Vocabulary - Animals

Hi Spanish learners! 😊
In this lesson, you will learn the vocabulary related to animals in Spanish. You will also learn some interesting cultural facts related to animals in the Spanish-speaking world.
¡Vamos! (Let's go!) 🐾

With the completion of this lesson, consider investigating these related pages: Bird, Parts of a fruit, Seasons & How to Say Good Bye.

Basic Vocabulary

Let's start with some basic vocabulary related to animals in Spanish:

Spanish	Pronunciation	English
el perro	el peh-roh	dog
el gato	el gah-toh	cat
el pájaro	el pah-hah-roh	bird
el ratón	el rah-tohn	mouse
el pez	el pehs	fish
el caballo	el kah-bah-yoh	horse
la vaca	la bah-kah	cow
la oveja	la oh-veh-hah	sheep
el cerdo	el sehr-doh	pig

As you may have noticed, the word for "the" in Spanish has two forms: "el" for masculine words and "la" for feminine words. Keep in mind that all animals have a gender in Spanish, even if they don't have a gender in English.

Animal Idioms

Like in any language, Spanish also has many idioms featuring animals. Here are a few examples:

• estar como una cabra (literally, "to be like a goat"): to behave in a crazy or erratic manner
• ser un gallina (literally, "to be a chicken"): to be a coward
• tener memoria de pez (literally, "to have a fish's memory"): to have a bad memory
• tener más vidas que un gato (literally, "to have more lives than a cat"): to be a lucky person
• llevarse como el perro y el gato (literally, "to get along like cats and dogs"): to have a bad relationship with someone

Use these idioms in context and impress your Spanish-speaking friends. 🐥

Animals in Culture

Animals are an important part of culture in the Spanish-speaking world. Here are a few examples:

Bullfighting

Bullfighting (la corrida de toros) is a traditional spectacle in Spain and some Latin American countries. It involves a bullfighter (el torero) who fights a bull (el toro) in a large arena. The goal is to subdue the bull without killing it. Many animal rights activists criticize bullfighting, but others argue that it is an important part of Spanish culture.

The Llama

The llama (la llama) is a South American animal used for transportation and wool. It is also considered a sacred animal by the indigenous peoples of the Andes. Llamas have been domesticated for thousands of years and are an important part of the cultural identity of the Andean region.

The Chupacabra

The chupacabra is a mythical creature that originated in Puerto Rico in the 1990s. It is said to be a blood-sucking animal that attacks livestock, especially goats (cabra in Spanish). The chupacabra has since become a popular urban legend in Latin America and the United States.

Animal Sounds

Animals make different sounds in Spanish than in English. Here are a few examples:

• el perro ladra (the dog barks)
• el gato maúlla (the cat meows)
• la vaca muge (the cow mooes)
• el león ruge (the lion roars)

Use these phrases in a dialogue with a Spanish-speaking friend:

• Person 1: ¿Escuchas eso? (Do you hear that?)
• Person 2: Sí, es el perro del vecino que está ladrando. (Yes, it's the neighbor's dog barking.)
• Person 1: ¿Y qué dice el gato? (And what does the cat say?)
• Person 2: El gato está durmiendo, no va a maullar. (The cat is sleeping, it's not going to meow.)

Food and Animals

Many animals are also part of traditional Spanish cuisine. Here are a few examples:

• el jamón (ham): made from the leg of a pig, it is a delicacy in Spain
• la paella (paella): a rice dish made with various toppings, including chicken and rabbit
• la tortilla de camarones (shrimp omelet): a specialty from Andalusia, it contains small shrimp

Next time you try one of these dishes, impress your friends by telling them about the animal it contains! 🍴

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¡Muy bien hecho! (Very well done!) You have learned a lot of vocabulary related to animals in Spanish. Don't forget to practice with a native speaker.

➡ If you have any questions, please ask them in the comments section below.
➡ Feel free to edit this wiki page if you think it can be improved. 😎

Other Lessons

• Weather
• Bird
• Hobbies
• Spring
• Bar
• At Home
• Jobs
• Parts of a tree
• How to Say Hello and Greetings
• Confusing Expressions

Sources

• 200+ Names of Animals in Spanish: Vocabulary for Everyone
• Animals in Spanish - Rosetta Stone
• Animals In Spanish: 60 Animal Names You Need To Learn