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cueva

KWEY-vah/ˈkwe.βa/

“cueva” means “cave” in Spanish. It has 2 different meanings depending on context:

cave

Also: cavern
NounfA1
A high-quality illustration of a dark, deep cave entrance surrounded by rugged gray rock and green moss.

📝 In Action

Exploramos una cueva oscura y profunda en la montaña.

A1

We explored a dark and deep cave in the mountain.

Los murciélagos viven en las cuevas durante el día.

A2

Bats live in caves during the day.

La entrada de la cueva estaba oculta por rocas.

A1

The cave entrance was hidden by rocks.

Word Connections

Synonyms

  • gruta (grotto)
  • caverna (cavern)

Common Collocations

  • cueva marina – sea cave
  • cueva prehistórica – prehistoric cave

den, hideout

Also: pit
NounfB1informal
Spain
A cozy illustration of an animal den, showing a small hollow under large tree roots containing soft straw bedding.

📝 In Action

Su oficina es una cueva llena de papeles viejos.

B1

His office is a den full of old papers.

Los ladrones usaron ese almacén abandonado como su cueva.

B2

The thieves used that abandoned warehouse as their hideout.

No salgas de tu cueva, el día está hermoso.

B2

Don't come out of your hole (referring to a secluded room), the day is beautiful.

Word Connections

Synonyms

  • escondite (hideout)
  • cubil (lair/den (animal or human))

Common Collocations

  • la cueva de Alí Babá – Ali Baba's cave (treasure hoard)

Idioms & Expressions

  • ir de cueva en cueva – to go from one bar/pub to another (especially small, traditional ones)

Translate to Spanish

Words that translate to "cueva" in Spanish:

cave→cavern→den→hideout→pit→

✏️ Quick Practice

Quick Quiz: cueva

Question 1 of 1

Which sentence uses 'cueva' to mean a 'messy, secluded room'?

📚 More Resources

👥 Word Family▼
cuevita(small cave (diminutive)) — Noun
cavernícola(caveman/woman) — Noun
cavar(to dig) — Verb
🎵 Rhymes▼
📚 Etymology▼

Comes from the Latin word 'cava,' meaning 'hollow place' or 'hole.' This root is related to the idea of something being dug out or naturally sunken.

First recorded: 13th century

Cognates (Related words)

Portuguese: covaItalian: cava

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Frequently Asked Questions

¿Es 'cueva' lo mismo que 'agujero'?

No. 'Agujero' means 'hole' and is usually small. 'Cueva' refers to a large, deep chamber, usually natural, that you can walk into. Think of a hole you dig in the dirt versus a large underground cavern.

How do I use 'cueva' in a negative way?

You can use it to describe a place that is dark, dirty, or claustrophobic. Saying 'Esta casa es una cueva' implies the house is gloomy and lacks light.