{"id":80,"date":"2026-09-30T17:07:09","date_gmt":"2026-09-30T16:07:09","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/leweb2ks.dev\/vitrine-vocadial\/en\/resources\/animals-in-spanish\/"},"modified":"2026-09-30T17:07:09","modified_gmt":"2026-09-30T16:07:09","slug":"animals-in-spanish","status":"publish","type":"vd_ressource","link":"https:\/\/vocadial.com\/en\/resources\/animals-in-spanish\/","title":{"rendered":"Animals in Spanish: vocabulary list, pronunciation and a classroom routine"},"content":{"rendered":"

Animal vocabulary in Spanish<\/h2>\n\n

In the pronunciation column, capitals mark the stressed syllable. “h” stands for the Spanish jota, a throaty sound like the ch in Scottish “loch”. “th” is how Spain pronounces z, and c before e or i; in Latin America, the Canaries and parts of Andalusia it is simply “s”. “rr” is a rolled r.<\/p>\n\n

Pets<\/h3>\n\n
Spanish<\/th>English<\/th>Say it like<\/th><\/tr><\/thead>
el perro \/ la perra<\/td>dog<\/td>PEH-rroh \/ PEH-rrah<\/td><\/tr>
el gato \/ la gata<\/td>cat<\/td>GAH-toh \/ GAH-tah<\/td><\/tr>
el pez (los peces)<\/td>fish (alive)<\/td>peth \/ pes<\/td><\/tr>
el p\u00e1jaro<\/td>bird<\/td>PAH-hah-roh<\/td><\/tr>
el conejo<\/td>rabbit<\/td>koh-NEH-hoh<\/td><\/tr>
el h\u00e1mster<\/td>hamster<\/td>HAHM-ster, throaty h<\/td><\/tr>
la cobaya<\/td>guinea pig (Spain)<\/td>koh-BAH-yah<\/td><\/tr>
la tortuga<\/td>tortoise, turtle<\/td>tor-TOO-gah<\/td><\/tr>
el rat\u00f3n<\/td>mouse<\/td>rah-TON<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n

Farm animals<\/h3>\n\n
Spanish<\/th>English<\/th>Say it like<\/th><\/tr><\/thead>
el caballo \/ la yegua<\/td>horse \/ mare<\/td>kah-BAH-yoh \/ YEH-gwah<\/td><\/tr>
la vaca<\/td>cow<\/td>BAH-kah<\/td><\/tr>
el toro<\/td>bull<\/td>TOH-roh<\/td><\/tr>
el cerdo<\/td>pig<\/td>THER-doh \/ SER-doh<\/td><\/tr>
la oveja<\/td>sheep<\/td>oh-BEH-hah<\/td><\/tr>
la cabra<\/td>goat<\/td>KAH-brah<\/td><\/tr>
la gallina<\/td>hen<\/td>gah-YEE-nah<\/td><\/tr>
el gallo<\/td>cockerel<\/td>GAH-yoh<\/td><\/tr>
el pato<\/td>duck<\/td>PAH-toh<\/td><\/tr>
el burro<\/td>donkey<\/td>BOO-rroh<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n

Wild animals<\/h3>\n\n
Spanish<\/th>English<\/th>Say it like<\/th><\/tr><\/thead>
el le\u00f3n \/ la leona<\/td>lion \/ lioness<\/td>leh-ON \/ leh-OH-nah<\/td><\/tr>
el tigre<\/td>tiger<\/td>TEE-greh<\/td><\/tr>
el elefante<\/td>elephant<\/td>eh-leh-FAHN-teh<\/td><\/tr>
la jirafa<\/td>giraffe<\/td>hee-RAH-fah<\/td><\/tr>
el mono<\/td>monkey<\/td>MOH-noh<\/td><\/tr>
el oso<\/td>bear<\/td>OH-soh<\/td><\/tr>
el lobo<\/td>wolf<\/td>LOH-boh<\/td><\/tr>
el zorro<\/td>fox<\/td>THOH-rroh \/ SOH-rroh<\/td><\/tr>
la serpiente<\/td>snake<\/td>ser-PYEN-teh<\/td><\/tr>
el cocodrilo<\/td>crocodile<\/td>koh-koh-DREE-loh<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n

Sea creatures, birds and minibeasts<\/h3>\n\n
Spanish<\/th>English<\/th>Say it like<\/th><\/tr><\/thead>
la ballena<\/td>whale<\/td>bah-YEH-nah<\/td><\/tr>
el delf\u00edn<\/td>dolphin<\/td>del-FEEN<\/td><\/tr>
el tibur\u00f3n<\/td>shark<\/td>tee-boo-RON<\/td><\/tr>
el \u00e1guila<\/td>eagle<\/td>AH-gee-lah, hard g<\/td><\/tr>
el b\u00faho<\/td>owl<\/td>BOO-oh<\/td><\/tr>
la mariposa<\/td>butterfly<\/td>mah-ree-POH-sah<\/td><\/tr>
la abeja<\/td>bee<\/td>ah-BEH-hah<\/td><\/tr>
la ara\u00f1a<\/td>spider<\/td>ah-RAH-nyah<\/td><\/tr>
la hormiga<\/td>ant<\/td>or-MEE-gah<\/td><\/tr>
el caracol<\/td>snail<\/td>kah-rah-KOL<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n

Some animals change name across the Spanish-speaking world. The pig is el cerdo<\/span> in Spain, el chancho<\/span> in much of South America and el puerco<\/span> in Mexico. The turkey is el pavo<\/span>, but el guajolote<\/span> in Mexico. The guinea pig is la cobaya<\/span> or el conejillo de Indias<\/span> in Spain and el cuy<\/span> in the Andes.<\/p>\n\n

Gender: el perro, la perra<\/h2>\n\n
  1. Many animals have a masculine and a feminine form.<\/strong> Swap -o for -a, or add -a: el gato<\/span>, la gata<\/span>; el le\u00f3n<\/span>, la leona<\/span>. The masculine covers the species: Me gustan los gatos.<\/span><\/li>
  2. Some pairs use two different words.<\/strong> el toro<\/span> and la vaca<\/span>, el caballo<\/span> and la yegua<\/span>, el gallo<\/span> and la gallina<\/span>, as in English bull and cow.<\/li>
  3. Many animals have one gender only.<\/strong> la jirafa<\/span>, la serpiente<\/span>, la ballena<\/span>, la mariposa<\/span>, el b\u00faho<\/span>, el tibur\u00f3n<\/span>: the article never changes. To specify the sex, add macho<\/span> or hembra<\/span>: la jirafa macho<\/span>, el tibur\u00f3n hembra<\/span>.<\/li>
  4. El \u00e1guila is feminine.<\/strong> Feminine nouns that start with a stressed a- take el<\/span> and un<\/span> in the singular: el \u00e1guila<\/span>, un \u00e1guila<\/span>, but las \u00e1guilas<\/span>, and adjectives stay feminine: el \u00e1guila blanca<\/span>.<\/li><\/ol>\n\n

    Plurals to watch<\/h3>\n\n