🦁 Wild Animals - Animales salvajes
Beginner Spanish · Wild animals and habitats
Wild Animals in Spanish
Wild animal vocabulary becomes more useful when you can say where animals live, point out an animal you see, and describe where a particular animal is.
Your next small win: name common wild animals, connect animals with habitats, use hay when spotting an animal, and use estar for its location.
Start with common animals
Core Wild Animals
Learn a compact group first. More animals are available in the expandable section below.
Lion
Elephant
Tiger
Bear
Wolf
Fox
Monkey
Eagle
Name three animals
Say “lion, elephant, and wolf” in Spanish.
León, elefante y lobo.
More wild animals
Giraffe
Snake
Zebra
Crocodile
Connect animals with nature
Animals and Habitats
Use vivir when talking about where an animal or species lives.
Forest
Jungle
Desert
Mountain
River
Nature
Use vivir for habitat
Monkeys live in the jungle.
Bears live in different habitats.
Useful pattern: Los monos viven en la selva describes habitat in general. Later, use estar when describing where one particular animal is right now.
Talk about habitat
Say that monkeys live in the jungle.
Los monos viven en la selva.
Say what you see and where it is
Hay and Estar
Use hay to point out that an animal is present. Use estar to describe the location of a particular animal you are already talking about.
Use hay when spotting something
There are many animals in the forest.
There is a crocodile near the river.
Look, there is an eagle in that tree.
Use estar for a particular animal's location
The eagle is at the top of the tree.
The elephants are near the water.
Three useful ideas: vivir describes where animals live, hay introduces what is present, and estar locates a particular animal.
Spotting an eagle
Look, there is an eagle in that tree.
Yes, it is very high up. I can barely see it.
Spot and locate an animal
Say that there is a crocodile near the river, then say that it is near the water.
Hay un cocodrilo cerca del río.
Está cerca del agua.
Make it personal
Favorite Animals and Simple Descriptions
Once you know the animal names, you can use simple adjectives and preferences to talk about which animals interest you.
What is your favorite wild animal?
My favorite wild animal is the elephant.
I think it is very interesting.
The giraffe can reach high leaves.
Lions rest during the day.
Talking about a favorite animal
What is your favorite wild animal?
The elephant. I think it is a very interesting animal.
Talk about your favorite
Choose a wild animal, say that it is your favorite, and give one simple description.
Mi animal salvaje favorito es el elefante.
Me parece muy interesante.
Your turn · 8 quick questions
Practice: Wild Animals
Choose the answer that best fits each situation. Focus on animal names, habitats, vivir, hay, and estar.
Practice complete
You can talk about wild animals and where they live or are located.
A few wildlife phrases to revisit
One last step: describe a wild animal without choices.
Name a wild animal, say where it lives, use hay to spot one, then use estar to say where that particular animal is.
Me gustan los monos.
Los monos viven en la selva.
Mira, hay un mono en aquel árbol.
Está muy alto.
Which word means “elephant”?
- elefante
- león
- tigre
- lobo
Elefante means “elephant.”
elefante = elephant
You want to say where monkeys live as a species. Which sentence fits?
- Los monos viven en la selva.
- Los monos están en la selva.
- Hay monos en la selva.
- Los monos viven cerca del río ahora.
Vivir is used here to describe the animals' general habitat.
Los monos viven en la selva.
You spot an eagle in a tree. Which sentence introduces what you see?
- Mira, hay un águila en aquel árbol.
- El águila está en la cima del árbol.
- Los monos viven en la selva.
- Los elefantes están cerca del agua.
Hay introduces an animal that is present in the scene.
Mira, hay un águila en aquel árbol.
You are already talking about a particular eagle and want to say where it is. Which sentence fits?
- El águila está en la cima del árbol.
- Hay un águila en aquel árbol.
- El águila vive en la naturaleza.
- Hay muchos animales en el bosque.
Estar locates the particular eagle that is already being discussed.
El águila está en la cima del árbol.
Which word means “forest”?
- bosque
- selva
- desierto
- río
Bosque means “forest.”
bosque = forest
There is a crocodile near the river. Which sentence fits?
- Hay un cocodrilo cerca del río.
- El cocodrilo está en la montaña.
- Los cocodrilos viven en el bosque.
- Hay un elefante cerca del río.
Hay un cocodrilo introduces the crocodile as something present near the river.
Hay un cocodrilo cerca del río.
The elephants are near the water. Which sentence locates them?
- Los elefantes están cerca del agua.
- Hay elefantes cerca del agua.
- Los elefantes viven en la selva.
- Los elefantes son cerca del agua.
Están cerca del agua gives the location of the particular elephants.
Los elefantes están cerca del agua.
Someone asks for your favorite wild animal. You choose the elephant. Which response fits?
- El elefante. Me parece un animal muy interesante.
- El elefante está cerca del agua.
- Hay un elefante en el bosque.
- Los elefantes viven en diferentes lugares.
The first response answers the preference question and gives a simple opinion.
El elefante. Me parece un animal muy interesante.