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hierbas

/YÊR-bahs/

herbs

A collection of fresh green rosemary, thyme, and basil leaves tied together with a simple twine string on a wooden surface.

Hierbas are fresh plants like rosemary and basil used in cooking and medicine.

hierbas(noun)

fA1

herbs

?

cooking and medicine

Also:

weeds

?

unwanted plants in a garden

,

grasses

?

wild vegetation

📝 In Action

Cocino con hierbas frescas de mi jardín.

A1

I cook with fresh herbs from my garden.

Tengo que quitar las malas hierbas del patio.

A2

I have to pull the weeds from the patio.

Las hierbas medicinales son muy útiles.

B1

Medicinal herbs are very useful.

Word Connections

Synonyms

  • plantas (plants)
  • yerbas (herbs (alternate spelling))

Common Collocations

  • hierbas aromáticas – aromatic herbs
  • malas hierbas – weeds
  • hierbas medicinales – medicinal herbs

Idioms & Expressions

  • Mala hierba nunca muere – Tough or bad people/things are hard to get rid of

💡 Grammar Points

Gender and Number

This word is feminine and plural. You must use feminine plural articles like 'las' or 'unas' with it.

❌ Common Pitfalls

Hierbas vs. Césped

Mistake: "Me gusta caminar por la hierba del estadio."

Correction: Me gusta caminar por el césped del estadio.

⭐ Usage Tips

The Silent H

Remember that the 'H' is silent! Start the sound with the 'y' sound as in 'yes'.

A single, detailed green serrated leaf from a cannabis plant shown in a simple illustrative style.

In a slang context, hierbas can refer to cannabis or marijuana.

hierbas(noun)

fB2

weed / pot / marijuana

?

slang for cannabis

📝 In Action

¿Ese olor es de hierba?

B2

Is that the smell of weed?

Word Connections

Synonyms

  • mota (weed (Mexico))
  • maría (mary jane)

⭐ Usage Tips

Use with Caution

This is slang and should only be used in very casual settings with friends.

✏️ Quick Practice

💡 Quick Quiz: hierbas

Question 1 of 2

Which of these phrases refers to 'weeds' that you don't want in your garden?

📚 More Resources

Word Family

hierba(herb/grass (singular)) - noun
herbívoro(herbivore) - adjective
herbolario(herbalist/herb shop) - noun

Frequently Asked Questions

Is it 'hierbas' or 'yerbas'?

Both are actually correct and recognized by the Royal Spanish Academy, but 'hierbas' is the much more common spelling in written Spanish. 'Yerbas' is very common in Argentina and Uruguay.

Can I use 'hierbas' for the grass on a football field?

Usually, no. For a sports field or a manicured lawn, the word 'césped' is used. 'Hierbas' sounds more like wild plants or ingredients.