Whale in Spanish
The Spanish word for 'whale' is 'ballena', pronounced bah-YEH-nah (IPA: /baˈʝena/). It is a B1-level feminine noun (plural: ballenas).
Pronunciation: bah-YEH-nah
| Spanish | ballena |
|---|---|
| Pronunciation | bah-YEH-nah · /baˈʝena/ |
| Part of speech | noun (feminine) |
| Plural | ballenas |
| Level | B1 (beginner-friendly) |
Example Sentences with 'ballena'
- La ballena azul es el animal más grande del planeta.
The blue whale is the largest animal on the planet. - ¿En qué época se pueden ver ballenas en esta costa?
In what season can you see whales on this coast? - Desde el barco vimos una ballena con su cría.
From the boat we saw a whale with its calf. - Cada año, miles de turistas viajan a la Patagonia para ver ballenas de cerca.
Every year, thousands of tourists travel to Patagonia to see whales up close.
How to Use 'ballena'
'Ballena' is always feminine, even for males ('ballena macho'). The 'll' sounds like the 'y' in 'yes' in most of Latin America. Whale watching is 'avistamiento de ballenas'.
Regional note: In Argentina and Uruguay, the 'll' in 'ballena' is pronounced like 'sh' (ba-SHEH-na) due to the local 'sheísmo'.
Related Vocabulary
Frequently Asked Questions
'Whale' in Spanish is 'ballena', pronounced bah-YEH-nah.
It is spelled b-a-l-l-e-n-a.
'Ballena' is feminine: you say 'la ballena'.
The plural of 'ballena' is 'ballenas'.
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