Describe mountains, valleys, coasts and inland landscapes with precise geography words.
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Mountains, valleys and plains in Spanish
La montaña is a mountain; la cordillera is a mountain range. La sierra also names a range, often a smaller part of a larger mountain system.
La meseta is an elevated plateau, while la llanura is a plain. Use these terms to describe the landscape of countries.
la montañamountain · lah mohn-TAH-nyah
la colinahill · lah koh-LEE-nah
la cordilleramountain range · lah kor-dee-YEH-rah
el picopeak · el PEE-koh
la cumbresummit · lah KOOM-breh
el vallevalley · el BAH-yeh
la llanuraplain · lah yah-NOO-rah
la mesetaplateau · lah meh-SEH-tah
la laderaslope · lah lah-DEH-rah
la depresióndepression (landform) · lah deh-preh-SYOHN
Islands, peninsulas and coastal features in Spanish
Una isla is surrounded by water; una península is connected to a larger landmass. Un istmo is a narrow strip joining land areas.
Bahía and golfo both describe coastal inlets. Their names are conventional and do not follow one universal size rule.
la islaisland · lah EES-lah
el archipiélagoarchipelago · el ahr-chee-PYEH-lah-goh
la penínsulapeninsula · lah peh-NEEN-soo-lah
el istmoisthmus · el EES-moh
el cabocape · el KAH-boh
la bahíabay · lah bah-EE-ah
el golfogulf · el GOHL-foh
el acantiladocliff · el ah-kahn-tee-LAH-doh
la playabeach · lah PLAH-yah
la dunadune · lah DOO-nah
Canyons, caves and river landforms in Spanish
Un cañón is a canyon; the ñ distinguishes it from other words. Una cueva is a cave and una caverna is a cavern.
A river ends at la desembocadura. Some mouths form un delta, but not every river mouth does.
el cañóncanyon · el kah-NYOHN
el barrancoravine · el bah-RRAHN-koh
la cuevacave · lah KWEH-bah
la cavernacavern · lah kah-BEHR-nah
el volcánvolcano · el bohl-KAHN
el crátercrater · el KRAH-tehr
el deltadelta · el DEHL-tah
la desembocadurariver mouth · lah dehs-ehm-boh-kah-DOO-rah
la cascadawaterfall · lah kahs-KAH-dah
la cuenca hidrográficariver basin · lah KWEHN-kah ee-droh-GRAH-fee-kah
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Landforms in Spanish: the full list
Review the meanings and pronunciation, then use the printable worksheet to recall each Spanish answer.
Quick answer:mountain is la montaña, hill is la colina, mountain range is la cordillera, peak is el pico, summit is la cumbre, valley is el valle, plain is la llanura, plateau is la meseta, slope is la ladera, and depression (landform) is la depresión.
