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hierba

YAIR-bah/ˈjeɾ.βa/

grass

Also: turf
NounfA1
A lush, bright green lawn filling the foreground under a clear blue sky.

📝 In Action

Necesito cortar la hierba del jardín este fin de semana.

A1

I need to cut the grass in the garden this weekend.

Nos sentamos en la hierba para hacer un picnic.

A2

We sat on the grass to have a picnic.

Word Connections

Synonyms

  • césped (lawn grass)
  • pasto (pasture/grass (common in Latin America))

Common Collocations

  • cortar la hierba – to cut the grass
  • un campo de hierba – a grassy field

herb

Also: weed
NounfB1
A healthy basil plant with large green leaves growing in a small brown clay pot.

📝 In Action

Esta hierba es muy buena para hacer té digestivo.

B1

This herb is very good for making digestive tea.

Compramos hierbas aromáticas para condimentar la carne.

B2

We bought aromatic herbs to season the meat.

Word Connections

Synonyms

Common Collocations

  • hierbas medicinales – medicinal herbs
  • hierbas finas – fine herbs (culinary mix)

weed

Also: pot
NounfC1slang
Mexico
A distinct, single seven-pointed cannabis leaf.

📝 In Action

Dicen que van a legalizar la venta de hierba en el estado vecino.

C1

They say they are going to legalize the sale of weed in the neighboring state.

Word Connections

Synonyms

  • marihuana (marijuana)
  • mota (weed (Mexico/Central America))

Translate to Spanish

Words that translate to "hierba" in Spanish:

grass→herb→pot→turf→weed→

✏️ Quick Practice

Quick Quiz: hierba

Question 1 of 2

Which sentence uses 'hierba' to refer to a culinary ingredient?

📚 More Resources

👥 Word Family▼
herbal(herbal) — Adjective
hierbajo(a low-quality weed/scrawny grass (derogatory)) — Noun
herbolario(herbalist shop / dispenser of herbs) — Noun
🎵 Rhymes▼
📚 Etymology▼

The word 'hierba' comes directly from the Latin word *herba*, which had the same meaning: grass, plant, or herb. The 'h' sound in Latin was kept in writing but became silent in Spanish, and the short 'e' vowel turned into the 'ie' sound we hear today.

First recorded: 10th century

Cognates (Related words)

Italian: erbaFrench: herbe

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Frequently Asked Questions

Is there a difference between 'hierba' and 'césped'?

Yes, usually. 'Césped' specifically refers to a manicured lawn or turf, like on a soccer field or in a backyard. 'Hierba' is a more general term for any type of grass or small green plant.

Why is the 'h' silent in 'hierba'?

The 'h' in Spanish is silent because it was lost in pronunciation as the language evolved from Latin. It is kept in writing mainly for historical reasons, but it doesn't make any sound.