Did you know that nearly 75% of the Spanish vocabulary you use every day has Latin origins? That means if you're learning Spanish, you're already speaking Latin... you just might not know it yet! Latin is often called a "dead" language, but it never really disappeared — it lives on in Spanish every single day.
Rome, the birthplace of Latin, even celebrates its legendary founding every April 21, a perfect reminder of how deeply Roman civilization shaped the language you're learning. Today we're exploring some of the most fascinating Latin words in Spanish with meaning that are still very much alive!
Spanish is a Romance language, meaning it evolved directly from Latin — the language spoken throughout the Roman Empire. Over centuries, spoken Latin transformed into what we now call Spanish, Portuguese, French, Italian, and Romanian.
So it's no surprise that latin root words in Spanish are everywhere. But beyond vocabulary, there are also Latin expressions that Spanish speakers use word for word, often without even realizing they're speaking the language of Julius Caesar!
This is where things get really interesting. Some of the most common Latin words used in Spanish have been around for so long, and stayed so close to their Latin origins, that they still carry the exact same meaning Romans used thousands of years ago. Let's take a look at some of the most surprising ones!
In Latin, harena simply meant sand. Spanish kept that meaning alive — arena in Spanish still means sand. Interestingly, Italian went a different direction: the modern Italian word for sand is sabbia, while arena in Italian and English came to refer to the fighting ground of Roman amphitheaters — which, of course, were covered in sand!
jugando con la arena, haciendo castillos de arena,
playing with the sand, making sand castles,
Captions 45-46, Clara y Cristina Saludar
Play Caption
In Latin, piscina meant fish pond — from piscis, meaning fish. Romans used piscinae to store live fish. In Spanish, the word evolved into the most common word for swimming pool. So next time you take a dip in the piscina, think of the Romans and their fish! 🐟
Y en verano abrían la piscina pública
And in summer, they would open the public swimming pool,
Caption 57, Aprendiendo con Silvia Recuerdos de infancia - Part 3
Play Caption
The word salario (salary) comes from the Latin salarium, which was directly connected to sal — salt. Roman soldiers were either paid in salt or given an allowance to buy it, since salt was an incredibly valuable commodity in ancient times. The next time someone asks about your salario, you'll know it's literally worth its salt!
de hecho, la palabra "salario", que hoy en día se usa para remunerar el puesto de trabajo, en aquél momento, se usaba porque se pagaba con sal.
in fact, the word "salary," which today is used for paying one's job, at that time, was used because one was paid with salt.
Captions 15-17, Rosa Laguna Fuente de Piedra
Play Caption
Here's one that might surprise you! In Latin, candidatus meant someone dressed in white. Roman citizens who sought public office would wear a gleaming white toga — toga candida — to present themselves as pure and honest. The word candidato (candidate) in Spanish carries that 2,000-year-old tradition every election season.
Los partidos políticos se peleaban el nombre de Escobar para lanzarlo candidato al Congreso.
The political parties would compete for Escobar's name to launch him as a candidate for Congress.
Captions 38-39, Los Tiempos de Pablo Escobar Capítulo 1 - Part 5
Play Caption
The Latin word calculus meant small pebble or stone. Romans used tiny pebbles as counting tokens — an ancient calculator of sorts! That's why the Spanish verb calcular (to calculate) and the word cálculo (calculation) have their roots in something as simple as a little rock.
con el sentido de calcular o enumerar.
with the sense of calculating or enumerating.
Caption 47, Silvia nos cuenta Contar, cuento y cuentas - Part 1
Play Caption
In Latin, rostrum referred to the beak of a ship — specifically the bronze ram at the front of a Roman warship. Over time, the word shifted to refer to a person's face. In Spanish, rostro is a perfectly normal, everyday word for face, completely detached from its nautical origins.
Lleva puesto en su rostro un delicado velo.
She wears on her face a delicate veil.
Caption 9, Leyendas urbanas La Cegua
Play Caption
The Latin word sinister simply meant left — as in the left hand. Romans considered the left side unlucky and associated it with bad omens. That negative connotation stuck, and in Spanish, siniestro evolved to mean sinister, dark, or ominous. It's also widely used in insurance and legal contexts to refer to an accident or disaster.
R dos a central, necesitamos otra ambulancia acá en el siniestro.
R two to central, we need another ambulance here at the accident.
Caption 31, Confidencial: Asesino al Volante Capítulo 1 - Part 6
Play Caption
Let's continue with more Latin words used in Spanish that have been fully adopted into everyday conversation:
The word gratis comes directly from Latin and means "free of charge." Spanish speakers use it constantly — and you've probably heard it in English too!
Eh... ¿Serí'... era gratis... eh...? -No, no, no era gratis.
Um... -Wou'... it was free... um...? -No, no, it wasn't free.
Captions 44-45, Estampas argentinas El Ateneo Grand Splendid - Part 2
Play Caption
This word came into Spanish unchanged from Latin, where habitare meant "to live" or "to dwell." Today, hábitat refers to the natural environment of an animal or plant.
Proteger y conservar el hábitat natural donde crecen los cipreses,
Protect and conserve the natural habitat where cypresses grow,
Caption 46, Fermín y las plantas El ciprés
Play Caption
These two Latin words are staples of Spanish financial and economic language. Déficit refers to a shortfall, while superávit (from Latin superavit, "it exceeded") means a surplus. You'll hear them constantly in news broadcasts and political speeches.
El gobierno anunció un déficit presupuestario este año.
The government announced a budget deficit this year.
Caption 58, Vocabulario de noticias Economía - Part 1
Play Caption
Beyond individual words, there are full Latin expressions in Spanish that speakers use naturally in conversation. Here are some of the most common ones:
Mea culpa literally means "my fault" in Latin. It's used in Spanish — and English! — to acknowledge one's own mistake, and has deep roots in Catholic tradition.
From the Latin in flagranti delicto, meaning "while the crime is blazing," in fraganti is used in Spanish to mean "caught in the act." You may also see it written as in flagranti or en flagrante.
Sí. Parece que la señora lo pescó in fragranti.
Yes. It seems like the lady caught him in the act.
Caption 76, Yago 12 Fianza - Part 7
Play Caption
Used in Spanish to indicate that something happens as a direct and immediate consequence of something else.
y el próximo que me llegue a alzar la voz se va de ipso facto.
and the next person who dares to raise their voice to me leaves ipso facto.
Captions 58-59, Confidencial: Broma pesada Capítulo 2 - Part 6
Play Caption
Literally "the voice of the people" in Latin, vox populi is used in Spanish journalism, politics, and everyday speech to refer to widely held public opinion.
From the Latin for "by head," per cápita is used across Spanish-speaking countries in statistics, economics, and health contexts.
Here are a few more Latin root words in Spanish so deeply embedded that most speakers never stop to think about their ancient origins:
• Versus (vs.) — used in comparisons and competitions
• Currículum — short for curriculum vitae, "course of life"
• Campus — the Latin word for "field," now used for university grounds
• Ultimátum — from Latin ultimatum, the final demand
• Plus — used in Spanish to mean "extra" or "bonus"
Latin may be considered a "dead" language, but as you can see, it never really left. The Latin words in Spanish we covered today are not just a linguistic curiosity — they're a living bridge between ancient Rome and the modern world. And the best part? You're already using many of them without even thinking about it! If you have any questions or comments, please let us know.
¡Hasta la próxima! 🏛️
The coronavirus is one of the greatest challenges humankind has ever faced. Because of that, we are being bombarded with words such as "virus," "disease," "quarantine," and "pandemic." But, do you know how to say all those words in Spanish? In this lesson, we will review some of the most important nouns associated with the current coronavirus. But first, let's take a closer look at the word coronavirus in Spanish.
In Spanish, the word coronavirus is a masculine noun made of two words: corona (crown) and virus (virus). However, keep in mind that coronavirus is just one word so there's no need for spaces or hyphens between the words that make up this noun.
Apart from that, it is worth mentioning that the word coronavirus in Spanish is the same in both the singular and the plural. Let's take a look:
El coronavirus es un virus contagioso
Coronavirus is a contagious virus
Los coronavirus son virus contagiosos
Coronaviruses are contagious viruses
From the example above, you can also see that the word virus in Spanish is the same in the singular and plural. In fact, this word belongs to a group of nouns ending in 'S' or 'X' that are the same in the singular and plural in Spanish.
With that being said, let's take a look at some of the words that you need to keep in mind in the context of the coronavirus.
For talking about coronavirus, here are some of the most common nouns. Let's take a look.
Brote (outbreak)
Crisis (crisis)
Vivimos en tiempos de crisis.
We live in times of crisis.
Caption 3, Los Años Maravillosos - Capítulo 2
Play Caption
Cuarentena (quarantine)
Desinfectante (disinfectant)
Mirá, ni siquiera uso el alcohol como desinfectante.
Look, I don't even use alcohol as a disinfectant.
Caption 81, Muñeca Brava - 18 - La Apuesta
Play Caption
In this caption, we also highlighted another very used word nowadays: alcohol (alcohol).
Enfermedad (illness, disease)
Por una enfermedad o por un trastorno.
Due to an illness or due to an imbalance.
Caption 50, Raquel - Visitar al Médico
Play Caption
Se controla que no tienen ninguna enfermedad.
They check [to make sure] that they don't have any disease.
Caption 60, Rosa - Laguna Fuente de Piedra
Play Caption
Jabón (soap)
Aquí está nuestro mejor amigo: el jabón.
Here's our best friend: soap.
Caption 18, Ana Carolina - Artículos de aseo personal
Play Caption
Mascarilla (mask)
Another term commonly used when talking about the masks people use to protect their mouths and noses is "tapaboca" or "tapabocas".
Organización Mundial de la Salud (OMS)
This is the Spanish name for the World Health Organization (WHO)
Pandemia (pandemic)
On March 11, 2020, the World Health Organization officially declared the coronavirus a pandemic. The Spanish term for pandemic is pandemia. Keep in mind that there is a difference between epidemia (epidemic) and pandemia (pandemic). While the former relates to the spread of a disease in a country, the latter refers to the spread of a disease throughout the world.
El mundo se enfrenta ahora a una pandemia sin precedentes.
The world is now facing an unprecedented pandemic.
Caption 12, El Coronavirus - Introducción y vocabulario
Play Caption
Prueba (test)
The word "prueba" is probably the best one for the test that people take in order to find out if they have coronavirus. However, some people prefer to use similar terms such as "test" or "muestra".
Recesión (recession)
According to several experts, even in the most optimistic of scenarios, many economies will be heading to a recession after the coronavirus crisis is over.
...que fue cuando en España entró la recesión en el sector de la construcción.
...which was when in Spain the recession in the construction sector began.
Caption 5, Leif - El Arquitecto Español y su Arte
Play Caption
Teletrabajo (remote working)
Transmisión (transmission)
Virus (virus)
"El coronavirus es un virus contagioso".
"The coronavirus is a contagious virus."
Caption 27, El Coronavirus - Introducción y vocabulario
Play Caption
There are many more words that are used in the context of the coronavirus disease. However, if you want to follow the news in Spanish, there is a good chance of coming across some of the terms we just reviewed. Please, take the necessary protection during this difficult time and don't forget to send us your comments and suggestions.
Do you know the names of the months in Spanish? Believe it or not, the names of the months in Spanish are quite similar to their English equivalents. Let's look at how to write and pronounce the months of the year in Spanish language.
The answer is mes. If you want to use the plural form, you need to use the term meses. Also, when talking about months in Spanish keep in mind the following:
One month: Un mes
Two months: Dos meses
Last month: El mes pasado
Next month: El próximo mes
Before we hear how to pronounce the names of the 12 months in Spanish, let's take a look at the following list featuring the months in Spanish and English:
January: enero
February: febrero
March: marzo
April: abril
May: mayo
June: junio
July: julio
August: agosto
September: septiembre
October: octubre
November: noviembre
December: diciembre
Let's hear the following sentences so you can practice the pronunciation of the 12 months in Spanish.
Estos son los meses del año. Enero.
These are the months of the year. January.
Captions 1-2, El Aula Azul - Estaciones y Meses
Play Caption
Es más, yo la visité en febrero y pasé algo de calor.
Moreover, I visited it in February, and I was a bit hot.
Caption 70, Viajando con Fermín La Cueva de Nerja - Part 2
Play Caption
Las Fallas son unas fiestas que se celebran en Valencia durante el mes de marzo.
The Fallas is a festival celebrated in Valencia during the month of March.
Caption 25, Raquel - Fiestas de España
Play Caption
Me gustaría reservar una cabaña para la primera semana de abril.
I would like to reserve a cabin for the first week of April.
Caption 4, Cleer y Lida - Reservando una habitación
Play Caption
En mayo, salen las flores.
In May, the flowers come out.
Caption 18, El Aula Azul - Estaciones y Meses
Play Caption
En junio, empieza el verano.
In June, the summer starts.
Caption 19, El Aula Azul - Estaciones y Meses
Play Caption
En julio. Vendría el mes de julio entero.
In July. He'd come for the whole month of July.
Caption 27, El Aula Azul - Conversación: Los cursos de español
Play Caption
En agosto, miles de voluntarios vienen a este sitio.
In August, thousands of volunteers come to this site.
Caption 53, Rosa - Laguna Fuente de Piedra
Play Caption
Por ejemplo, durante el Festival de Cine
For example, during the Film Festival
que se celebra en San Sebastián en el mes de septiembre.
that is held in San Sebastian in the month of September.
Captions 13-14, San Sebastián - Palacio de Miramar
Play Caption
Desde octubre se comienza la venta de los monigotes.
From October the selling of the dolls begins.
Caption 55, Otavalo - Artesano de monigotes de Año Viejo
Play Caption
Fue inaugurado el treinta de noviembre de mil novecientos noventa y cuatro.
It was opened on November thirtieth nineteen ninety-four.
Caption 5, Paseando con Karen Monterrey - Museo de Historia Mexicana
Play Caption
Normalmente, suele nevar en diciembre,
Normally, it typically snows in December,
Caption 69, Clara y Cristina Hablan de actividades
Play Caption
Finally, did you notice anything in particular in the previous sentences regarding the spelling of the names of the months in Spanish? Unlike English, in Spanish the names of the months don't have to be capitalized.
That's it for today. Try to write a couple of sentences with the months in Spanish and read them aloud so you can practice their pronunciation. And don’t forget to send us your feedback and suggestions.
Although the verb volver is most often translated as "to return," it can actually take on a variety of meanings. Let's take a look at some of the many ways native Spanish speakers might use it in real-life situations.
Typically, the verb volver means "to return" or "come back." Like other Spanish verbs, it is very commonly used in its infinitive form in combination with such verbs as querer (to want) or ir (to go). Learning how to use the infinitive form of verbs within such phrases is actually very useful— particuarly if you haven't yet mastered the conjugation of such irregular verbs. Let's first take a look at volver in the infinitive:
No quiero volver al hotel y
I don't want to go back to the hotel, and
el apartamento me gusta.
I like the apartment.
Captions 18-19, Confidencial: El rey de la estafa - Capítulo 3
Play Caption
Nada... voy a volver a última hora de la tarde, nada más.
None... I'm going to come back late in the afternoon, that's all.
Caption 54, Muñeca Brava - 9 Engaños
Play Caption
The verb volver can also be combined with other Spanish verbs to indicate the English concepts of "over" or "again."
Pues espero volver a verte pronto
Well, I hope to see you again soon
Caption 93, Blanca y Mariona - Vida en general
Play Caption
The infinitive, volver, with the preposition a (literally "to," "at," etc.) can be linked with other Spanish verbs in phrases such as volver a vernos (to see each other again), volver a empezar (to start over), volver a entrar (to reenter), etc. Let's take a look at such examples of the formula, volver + a + infinitive, where volver has been conjugated:
Pero bueno, cuando pueda,
But well, when I can,
me vuelvo a inscribir en otro gimnasio y me meto.
I'll sign up at another gym again, and I'll go.
Caption 29, Patricia Marti - Diversión y Ejercicio
Play Caption
Doblamos un pliego de papel china naranja a la mitad
We fold a sheet of orange tissue paper in half
y volvemos a doblar a la mitad.
and we fold it in half again.
Captions 65-66, Manos a la obra - Papel picado para Día de muertos
Play Caption
The verb, volver, also has a pronominal form: volverse, which can take on such diverse meanings as "to turn around," "to become," "to turn upside down," "to turn inside out," and "to go back," among others. Let's look at a few examples where volverse means "to become":
Porque nunca ha estudiado con niñas
Because he has never studied with girls
y como el colegio se volvió mixto, está temblando.
and since the school became mixed, he is shaking.
Caption 38, Los Años Maravillosos - Capítulo 1
Play Caption
Entonces, el asunto se vuelve más complicado.
So, the issue becomes more complicated.
Caption 32, Cuentas claras - Sobreviviendo enero
Play Caption
La diferencia de edad también se puede apreciar en el pico,
The age difference can also be seen in the beak,
que también se vuelve de color más rosáceo con la edad.
which also becomes more pinkish with age.
Captions 50-51, Rosa - Laguna Fuente de Piedra
Play Caption
Finally, the expression volverse loco or loca is very often used when people want to say that someone went crazy:
¿Mi hija se volvió loca, Papá?
Did my daughter go crazy, Dad?
Caption 28, Yago - 6 Mentiras
Play Caption
That's all for today. We hope you liked this lesson, and don't forget to send us your comments and suggestions.
French
German
Italian
Chinese
English
English 
Français
Deutsch
Español
Italiano
Português
