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ave

ah-vehˈaβe

“ave” means “bird” in Spanish. It has 2 different meanings depending on context:

bird

Also: fowl
NounfA1
A simplified illustration of a small blue songbird perched on a thin brown branch.

📝 In Action

Vimos un ave exótica en el parque.

A1

We saw an exotic bird in the park.

Las aves migratorias viajan miles de kilómetros.

B1

Migratory birds travel thousands of kilometers.

Word Connections

Synonyms

  • pájaro (small bird)
  • volátil (flying creature (formal))

Common Collocations

  • ave rapaz – bird of prey
  • ave nocturna – night bird (owl, etc.)

Idioms & Expressions

  • Pájaro que vuela, a la cazuela. – Seize the opportunity (literally: A bird that flies, into the pot).

AVE

Also: high-speed train
NounfB1
Spain
A sleek, aerodynamic white and red high-speed train moving quickly across a green landscape.

📝 In Action

El AVE de Madrid a Sevilla es muy rápido.

B1

The AVE (high-speed train) from Madrid to Seville is very fast.

Necesito comprar billetes para el AVE.

A2

I need to buy tickets for the AVE.

Word Connections

Synonyms

Common Collocations

  • tomar el AVE – to take the AVE

Vocabulary Collections

Translate to Spanish

Words that translate to "ave" in Spanish:

ave→bird→fowl→high-speed train→

✏️ Quick Practice

Quick Quiz: ave

Question 1 of 2

Which sentence correctly uses the word 'ave' (bird)?

📚 More Resources

👥 Word Family▼
aviar(to equip/to provision (related to old meaning of preparation)) — Verb
aviación(aviation) — Noun
🎵 Rhymes▼
📚 Etymology▼

The word comes directly from the Latin word *avis*, which also meant 'bird.' It has been used in Spanish since the earliest written records.

First recorded: Pre-10th century (as part of Vulgar Latin transition)

Cognates (Related words)

Latin: avisFrench: oiseauPortuguese: ave

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Frequently Asked Questions

If 'ave' is feminine, why do I see 'el ave' instead of 'la ave'?

This is a special rule for feminine nouns that start with a stressed 'a' sound (like 'agua' or 'águila'). In the singular, we temporarily switch to the masculine article 'el' to make the sentence flow better and avoid an awkward double 'a' sound. The word itself remains feminine, so we say 'el ave grande' (not 'el ave grande').