hispanova · a field guide
Animales
From the sky, down through the fields, all the way to the ocean floor — here’s every animal word a beginner actually reaches for, sorted the way nature already sorted them.
up above
El Aire
The ones you mostly notice by sound before you ever see them.
el pájaro(el PAH-hah-roh)bird
la mariposa(lah mah-ree-POH-sah)butterfly
la abeja(lah ah-BEH-hah)bee
el águila(el AH-gee-lah)eagle
el murciélago(el moor-see-EH-lah-goh)bat
el loro(el LOH-roh)parrot
la paloma(lah pah-LOH-mah)dove
el flamenco(el flah-MEHN-koh)flamingo
la libélula(lah lee-BEH-loo-lah)dragonfly
el búho(el BOO-oh)owl
“mira, un pájaro” — one of the first sentences you’ll ever point out loud.
down here
La Tierra
The ones close enough to actually pet — or, in one case, just admire from a very safe distance.
el perro(el PEH-rroh)dog
el gato(el GAH-toh)cat
el león(el leh-OHN)lion
la vaca(lah VAH-kah)cow
el caballo(el kah-BAH-yoh)horse
el elefante(el eh-leh-FAHN-teh)elephant
el tigre(el TEE-greh)tiger
el oso(el OH-soh)bear
el conejo(el koh-NEH-hoh)rabbit
la oveja(lah oh-VEH-hah)sheep
la jirafa(lah hee-RAH-fah)giraffe
el mono(el MOH-noh)monkey
la serpiente(lah sehr-PYEN-teh)snake
el zorro(el SOH-rroh)fox
el ratón(el rah-TOHN)mouse
every one of these has a sound of its own in Spanish too — el perro dice “guau”, not “woof”.
all the way down
El Mar
The ones you’ll only ever meet through glass — an aquarium tank, or a very good snorkel mask.
el pez(el pes)fish
el pulpo(el POOL-poh)octopus
la tortuga(lah tor-TOO-gah)turtle
el delfín(el del-FEEN)dolphin
el cangrejo(el kahn-GREH-hoh)crab
la ballena(lah bah-YEH-nah)whale
el tiburón(el tee-boo-ROHN)shark
la estrella de mar(lah es-TREH-yah deh mar)starfish
la medusa(lah meh-DOO-sah)jellyfish
el caballito de mar(el kah-bah-YEE-toh deh mar)seahorse
saltwater or fresh, the words stay the same — el mar doesn’t ask which kind you meant.
Fin del recorrido
Thirty-five animals, three worlds, one afternoon.
hasta la próxima, hispanova
