Are you familiar with the names of animals in Spanish? Do you know the Spanish equivalents of nouns like "dog," "lion," or "chicken"? Do you know the words for farm animals in Spanish? What about the names of wild animals in Spanish? If you need to improve your vocabulary on these topics, please feel free to explore the following list of animals in Spanish!
As you read along, keep in mind that while this list is in alphabetical order, not all of the letters appear since they don't all correspond with the names of the well-known animals in Spanish that we opted to include. We have additionally added some video clips that will help you to hear how to say the names of most of the animals on this list.
Las abejas reinas vuelan,
The queen bees fly around,
Caption 34, Los Años Maravillosos - Capítulo 6
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Veamos un ejemplo más
Let's see another example
utilizando otra palabra femenina singular
using another feminine singular word
que inicia con "a" tónica:
that begins with a stressed "a":
"águila".
"águila" [eagle].
Captions 38-41, Carlos explica - Los artículos en español
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Una boa, una anaconda, ¡ay no!
A boa, an anaconda, oh, no!
Caption 49, Cleer y Lida - Juego de preguntas y respuestas
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Llegó la araña que el idioma daña
It's arrived, the spider that damages the language
Caption 53, Calle 13 - Tango del pecado
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Y la pobre ardilla cayó muerta.
And the poor squirrel dropped dead.
Caption 48, Cleer - El cuento de los cuatro hermanos
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Although there are many more animals in Spanish that start with the letter a, we would like to stop here with two more animals: armadillo (armadillo) and avestruz (ostrich).
¡La ballena! -¡La ballena!
The whale! -The whale!
Caption 9, Guillermina y Candelario - La competencia de baile
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el búfalo,
the buffalo,
Caption 20, Graciela - Los animales
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El Quebrantahuesos
The Bearded Vulture [the name in Spanish means "shatter bones"]
es un buitre excepcionalmente distinto
is an exceptionally distinct vulture
Caption 20, Club de las ideas - Batería de breves
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también tienen hiato palabras como "cohete" o "búho".
words like "cohete" [rocket] or "búho" [owl] also have a hiatus.
Caption 42, Carlos explica - Acentuación Cap. 5: Diptongo, triptongo, hiato
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porque es el burro más simpático
because he's the nicest donkey
que os vais a encontrar en vuestra vida.
that you're going to encounter in your life.
Captions 38-39, Amaya - El burrito Luz
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Que el buey solo bien se lava.
That the ox alone washes itself well.
Caption 49, Yago - 12 Fianza
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The letter c is quite generous in terms of names of animals in Spanish. Let's look at several of them.
Algunos ejemplos de palabras con dígrafos
Some examples of words with digraphs
incluyen las palabras "caballo".
include the words "caballo" [horse].
Caption 39, Carlos explica - Acentuación Cap. 3: La división en sílabas
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Productos típicos de la zona
Typical products of the area
son el queso de cabra y el aceite de oliva.
are goat cheese and olive oil.
Captions 74-76, Rosa - Antequera, Málaga
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que ha sido seleccionada desde cachorro
who has been selected since she was a puppy
para ayudar a personas que lo necesitan.
to help people who need it.
Captions 52-53, Isabel Lavesa - Terapia asistida con animales
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¿Es un cangrejo?
Is it a crab?
Caption 29, Guillermina y Candelario - Un marciano en la playa
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¡Nuestro continente con forma de camello!
Our continent in the shape of a camel!
Caption 25, Los Años Maravillosos - Capítulo 12
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Y... Es muy famoso porque tiene canguros
And... It's very famous because it has kangaroos
Caption 27, El Aula Azul - Piensa rápido - Part 2
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Es que el caracol se mueve como un gusanito
It's just that the snail moves like a worm
Caption 25, Guillermina y Candelario - La Casa de Muñecas
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La cebra.
The zebra.
Caption 17, El Aula Azul - Adivinanzas de animales - Part 1
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el cerdo,
the pig,
Caption 13, Graciela - Los animales
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There are multiple names for some animals in Spanish, which is the case of the pig. Some alternative terms include chancho, puerco and marrano.
pero puede cazar incluso un ciervo.
but it can even hunt a deer.
Caption 68, El Aula Azul - Adivinanzas de animales - Part 2
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Sí! El cocodrilo.
Yes! The crocodile.
Caption 39, El Aula Azul - Adivinanzas de animales - Part 2
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"compás" o "colibrí".
"compás" [compass] or "colibrí" [hummingbird].
Caption 30, Carlos explica - Acentuación Cap. 4: Clasificación de las palabras según el acento
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Ustedes saben que el cóndor
You know that the condor
Caption 33, Hispanoamericanos en Berlín - Virginia y el cóndor
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tengo a otro perro y un conejo.
I have another dog, and a rabbit.
Caption 8, Amaya - Apertura del refugio
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Esa cucaracha, la aplasto yo.
I'll crush that cockroach.
Caption 27, Muñeca Brava - 2 Venganza
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Es que el delfín era muy fuerte.
It's just that the dolphin was very strong.
Caption 25, Guillermina y Candelario - El Festival de Verano
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un elefante,
an elephant,
Caption 29, Aprendiendo con Silvia - Las emociones
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y dejaría de ser una estrella de mar.
and it wouldn't be a starfish anymore.
Caption 42, Guillermina y Candelario - Un regalo de Estrellas
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un flamenco,
a flamingo,
Caption 30, Aprendiendo con Silvia - Las emociones
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siete, la foca,
seven, the seal,
Caption 17, Luis Guitarra - Aprendiendo a contar
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la gallina,
the hen,
Caption 11, Graciela - Los animales
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"...el gato,..."
"...el gato" [the cat]...
Caption 8, Clase Aula Azul - Se involuntario - Part 3
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By the way, if you like cats, we would like to invite you to take a look at one of our more popular series: Fermín y los gatos!
uno, el gorila,
one, the gorilla,
Caption 11, Luis Guitarra - Aprendiendo a contar
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No matamos a ningún gusano.
We didn't kill any worm.
Caption 48, Aprendiendo con Silvia - Frases hechas
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Por ejemplo, no el hámster,
For example, not "el hámster" [the hamster],
Caption 51, Clase Aula Azul - Se involuntario - Part 4
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la hiena,
the hyena,
Caption 24, Graciela - Los animales
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un hipopótamo,
a hippopotamus,
Caption 27, Aprendiendo con Silvia - Las emociones - Part 6
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Iguana.
"Iguana" [Iguana].
Caption 17, Español para principiantes - Las vocales
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Y un día nos sorprendió un jabalí.
And one day, a wild boar surprised us.
Caption 53, Aprendiendo con Silvia - Recuerdos de infancia
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y una jirafa.
and a giraffe.
Caption 31, Aprendiendo con Silvia - Las emociones - Part 6
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El león.
The lion.
Caption 31, El Aula Azul - Adivinanzas de animales - Part 1
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el cachorrito de leopardo
the leopard cub
Caption 31, Animales en familia - Un día en Bioparc: Cachorro de leopardo
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Yo quiero un lobo domesticado
I want a domesticated wolf
Caption 8, Shakira - Loba
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el loro,
the parrot,
Caption 7, Graciela - Los animales
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Ya a continuación tenemos el mapache sudamericano.
Next, we have the South American raccoon.
Caption 23, Quito - Zoológico de Guayllabamba
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Mariposa de sueño, te pareces a mi alma,
Dream butterfly, you look like my soul,
Caption 18, Chus recita poemas - Neruda y Pizarnik
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La Medusa.
The Jellyfish.
Caption 18, Extr@: Extra en español - Ep. 8: La prima de la dueña - Part 2
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un mono,
a monkey,
Caption 28, Aprendiendo con Silvia - Las emociones - Part 6
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podría ser la mosca verde de la carne
could be the green flesh fly
Caption 34, Estepona - Orquidario
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La palabra más larga es murciélago.
The longest word is bat.
¿Por qué?
Why?
Pues porque tiene las cinco vocales dentro de la palabra.
Well because it has the five vowels within the word.
Captions 43-45, Karla e Isabel - Palabras
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cuatro, el oso gris,
four, the grey bear,
Caption 14, Luis Guitarra - Aprendiendo a contar
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¿Qué crees que pasaba antes de que la oveja empezara a tejer?
What do you think was happening before the sheep began to knit?
Caption 42, Aprendiendo con Silvia - Las emociones
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el pájaro,
the bird,
Caption 16, Graciela - Los animales
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el pavo,
the turkey,
Caption 10, Graciela - Los animales
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el pato,
the duck,
Caption 9, Graciela - Los animales
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tres, el perro,
three, the dog,
Caption 13, Luis Guitarra - Aprendiendo a contar
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¡Es un pez! -¡Un pez mágico!
It's a fish! -A magic fish!
Caption 37, Guillermina y Candelario - Un pez mágico
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¿Un pingüino?
A penguin?
Caption 19, Guillermina y Candelario - Nuestro Amigo Pinguino
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el pollo,
the chicken,
Caption 12, Graciela - Los animales
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¡El pulpo!
The Octopus!
Caption 26, Extr@: Extra en español - Ep. 4: Sam busca un trabajo
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Seguro que canta como una rana.
I'm sure she sings like a frog.
Caption 20, Extr@: Extra en español - Ep. 8: La prima de la dueña - Part 5
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¡Eso es para que aprenda a respetar a mi hermana,
That is for you to learn to respect my sister,
rata de alcantarilla!
sewer rat!
Caption 11, Los Años Maravillosos - Capítulo 4
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¡Un ratón!
A mouse!
Caption 76, NPS No puede ser - 1 - El concurso
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el rinoceronte,
the rhinoceros,
Caption 19, Graciela - Los animales
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¿Por qué el sapo va agarrado a un globo?
Why is the toad holding on to a balloon?
Caption 14, Aprendiendo con Silvia - Las emociones
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y una serpiente alrededor del cuerpo.
and a snake around my body.
Caption 30, Aprendiendo con Carlos - El microrrelato
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El tiburón ballena, que es el más grande de todos,
The whale shark, which is the biggest of them all,
sólo come plancton.
only eats plankton.
Caption 25, Guillermina y Candelario - La Lleva
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el tigre,
the tiger,
Caption 23, Graciela - Los animales
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el toro,
the bull,
Caption 8, Graciela - Los animales
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Yo estaba cansada y me senté en la tortuga de mar.
I was tired and sat down on the sea turtle.
Caption 13, Guillermina y Candelario - La Abuela Marina
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un tucán,
a toucan,
Caption 26, Aprendiendo con Silvia - Las emociones - Part 6
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y diez, la vaca.
and ten, the cow.
Caption 20, Luis Guitarra - Aprendiendo a contar
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también una yegua
a mare as well,
Caption 34, Quito - Zoológico de Guayllabamba
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Observa detenidamente al zorro
Observe carefully the fox
Caption 37, Aprendiendo con Silvia - Las emociones - Part 5
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And that's all for our list of animals in Spanish. Do you know more animals in Spanish that you think we should include in this list? If so, don't hesitate to send us your suggestions and comments!
Just when you thought you'd memorized the meanings of a bunch of infinitive verbs (their "to" forms, like saber (to know), poder (to be able), etc.), you find out that there are some verbs that actually change meanings from one tense to another! Verbs that mean one thing in tenses like the Spanish present indicative tense and the imperfect tense in Spanish but change meaning in the Spanish preterite tense will be the focus of today's lesson.
In a nutshell, there are two "main" past tenses in Spanish: the imperfect tense in Spanish, which is used to describe past actions that were ongoing, in progress, or interrupted, and the Spanish preterite tense, which describes completed past actions. As we mentioned, as the meaning of some Spanish verbs actually changes in the preterite tense in Spanish, let's take a look at some examples of several of these verbs and their translations in the present, the imperfect, and, finally, the preterite, via examples from Yabla Spanish's video library.
Let's take a look at some examples of the Spanish verb conocer in the present and imperfect tenses:
Present Tense:
porque conozco un sitio muy bueno y podemos ir.
because I know a very good place and we can go.
Caption 67, Cleer Entrevista a Giluancar
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Imperfect Tense:
Pablo Escobar conocía La Catedral como la palma de la mano,
Pablo Escobar knew La Cathedral like the back of his hand
Caption 42, Los Tiempos de Pablo Escobar Capítulo 2 - Part 6
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In both the Spanish present indicative and the imperfect tense, the Spanish verb conocer means "to know" in the sense of "being familiar with." However, in the preterite tense, the Spanish verb conocer has a different meaning. Let's take a look:
Preterite Tense:
Cuando yo conocí a mi esposa, hace nueve años, la primera cosa yo le dije a ella, te... tú vas a ser la mamá de mis hijas.
When I met my wife, nine years ago, the first thing I said to her, you... you are going to be the mom of my daughters.
Captions 52-54, La Sub30 Familias - Part 4
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As you can see in this example, as the preterite tense in Spanish limits an action to a specific moment in time, the meaning of the Spanish verb conocer changes to "to meet" in the Spanish preterite tense.
The Spanish verb poder means "to be able," in the sense of "can" in the present or "could" in the past. Let's see some examples:
Present Tense:
Detrás de mí podemos observar la ciudad antigua
Behind me, we can observe the old city
Caption 11, Ciudad de Panamá Denisse introduce la ciudad
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Imperfect Tense:
Yo pensé que podía saltar muy alto.
I thought I could jump really high.
Caption 14, Guillermina y Candelario Una Amiga muy Presumida - Part 2
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So, how does the meaning of the Spanish verb poder transform in the preterite?
Preterite Tense:
Es que no entiendo cómo pudo entrar aquí.
It's just that I don't understand how he managed to get in here.
Caption 20, Confidencial: El rey de la estafa Capítulo 2 - Part 8
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Although "It's just that I don't understand how he was able to get in here" could also be a viable translation, in some contexts, this English rendition would not make it clear whether someone actually did something or merely had the ability to do so. Hence, the important thing to remember when the Spanish verb poder is conjugated in the Spanish preterite tense is that it ceases to describe merely the potential for something to happen and states that it actually did. "To manage" (to do something) is thus a common translation for the Spanish verb poder in the preterite tense that makes this distinction clear.
The meaning of no poder in both the present and imperfect tenses in Spanish is pretty straightforward: "to not be able to," in other words, "can't" in the present and "couldn't" in the (imperfect) past:
Present Tense:
¿Cómo que no pueden hacer nada? ¿Cómo que no pueden hacer nada más?
What do you mean you can't do anything? What do you mean you can't do anything else?
Caption 17, Yago 3 La foto - Part 2
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Imperfect Tense:
Y no podía estudiar.
And I couldn't study.
Caption 1, Los Años Maravillosos Capítulo 5 - Part 3
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So, what about the preterite? If we know that the preterite form of the Spanish verb poder means "to manage to" do something, it follows that the preterite form of no poder can mean "to not manage to," or, better yet, "to fail to" to do something.
Preterite Tense:
Si usted no pudo controlar su matrimonio ¿cómo va a controlar y dirigir y manejar el interés público?
If you failed to control your marriage, how are you going to control and direct and manage public interest?
Captions 58-59, Muñeca Brava 43 La reunión - Part 3
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While we might alternatively translate "si usted no pudo controlar su matrimonio" as "you couldn't control your marriage" or "you weren't able to control your marriage," the important thing to remember is that the verb poder in the preterite means that something in the past was attempted but did not come to fruition.
The Spanish verb saber typically means "to know" (in the sense of facts or information) in the present, imperfect, etc.:
Present Tense:
No es información nueva, y ellas lo saben.
It's not new information, and they know it.
Caption 7, Clase Aula Azul Información con subjuntivo e indicativo - Part 3
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Imperfect Tense:
Sí. Si algo sabíamos era que la plata no crece en los árboles.
Yes. If we knew anything, it was that money didn't grow on trees.
Caption 28, Los Años Maravillosos Capítulo 10 - Part 2
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However, because the preterite tense in Spanish narrows the timeline of such "knowing" down to a specific moment, the meaning of the Spanish verb saber transforms, in the preterite tense, from "to know" to "to find out":
Preterite Tense:
A tal punto que yo me alegré mucho, mucho, cuando supe que ibas a pasar veinticinco años en la cárcel.
To the point that I was very happy, very, when I found out you were going to spend twenty-five years in prison.
Captions 56-57, Yago 14 La peruana - Part 1
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The verb tener in Spanish means "to have" in most tenses, as in the following excerpts:
Present Tense:
Todas las estaciones tienen sus ventajas.
All of the seasons have their advantages.
Caption 42, Clara explica El tiempo - Part 2
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Imperfect Tense:
Tenía una casa pues, amueblada de cuatrocientos metros
I had a, well, furnished, four-hundred meter house,
Caption 79, 75 minutos Gangas para ricos - Part 8
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And, although the meaning of the Spanish verb tener doesn't always change in the preterite, it sometimes takes on the meaning of "to receive" or "to get," as in the case of: Tuve una carta (I got a letter). Let's look at an additional example:
Preterite Tense:
Y bueno, ahí tuve otras proposiciones, que no eran tampoco un sueño, pero eran mucho más interesantes que lo que tenía en Cuba,
And well, there, I got other proposals, which weren't a dream either, but they were much more interesting than what I had in Cuba,
Captions 49-51, Orishas Entrevista Canal Plus
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6. Querer (to want)
The verb querer in Spanish most often means "to want." Let's see it in action:
Present Tense:
Amigos de Yabla, hoy los queremos invitar a aprender español
Friends of Yabla, today we want to invite you to learn Spanish
Captions 1-2, El Hatillo, Caracas, Venezuela El cuatro
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Imperfect Tense:
Yo de niña pensaba que quería ser bailarina. ¿Qué pensabas tú?
As a little girl I thought that I wanted to be a dancer. What did you think?
Caption 20, Conjugación El verbo 'pensar'
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In the preterite tense, however, the Spanish verb querer "puts a limit" on this past "wanting" and becomes a manner of saying that someone "tried" to do something:
Preterite Tense:
Yo quise ser su amiga, pero no me dejó.
I tried to be his friend, but he didn't let me.
Caption 38, Guillermina y Candelario Un marciano en la playa - Part 1
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In our first two tenses, the Spanish verb phrase no querer means exactly what it sounds like: "to not want." Let's examine some clips that demonstrate this construction in the present and imperfect:
Present Tense:
Es que yo no quiero vivir en el centro.
The thing is, I don't want to live in the downtown area.
Caption 71, El Aula Azul La Doctora Consejos: Subjuntivo y persona ideal
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Imperfect Tense:
y en un principio le dije que no quería tener un gato en casa.
and at first, I told her I didn't want to have a cat in my home.
Caption 32, Fermín y los gatos Mi gata Poeska
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The preterite form of the Spanish verb querer, on the other hand, means that someone not only "didn't want" to do something at a specific point in the past, they actually didn't (or "wouldn't"):
mi otra hermana, Zoraida Zárraga, mi sobrino, Harold Blanco, que no quisieron presentarse por temor a cámara.
my other sister, Zoraida Zarraga, my nephew, Harold Blanco, who refused to appear due to camera shyness.
Captions 11-13, Coro, Venezuela Relaciones familiares
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So, we see that the meaning of the verb no querer in Spanish can sometimes become to "to refuse" in the preterite tense.
We hope that this lesson has edified you regarding the alternative meanings of some Spanish verbs when they are conjugated in the preterite tense. Can you think of any we missed? Don't forget to tell us with your suggestions and comments.
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