hierro
“hierro” means “iron” in Spanish. It has 3 different meanings depending on context:
iron
Also: steel, ferrous metal
📝 In Action
El puente antiguo está hecho de hierro forjado.
B1The old bridge is made of wrought iron.
Necesitamos más hierro en nuestra dieta para estar saludables.
A2We need more iron in our diet to be healthy.
El hierro es un metal muy resistente y pesado.
A1Iron is a very resistant and heavy metal.
iron, branding iron
Also: golf club, fire poker
📝 In Action
Voy a pasar el hierro a la ropa antes de salir.
B1I am going to iron the clothes before leaving. (Literally: I am going to pass the iron over the clothes.)
El ganadero usó un hierro para marcar el ganado.
B2The rancher used a branding iron to mark the cattle.
sword, strength
Also: courage
📝 In Action
El caballero desenvainó su hierro y se preparó para la batalla.
C1The knight unsheathed his sword (his iron) and prepared for battle.
Necesitas tener nervios de hierro para ser un buen negociador.
C2You need to have nerves of steel (nerves of iron) to be a good negotiator.
Translate to Spanish
Words that translate to "hierro" in Spanish:
branding iron→courage→ferrous metal→fire poker→golf club→iron→steel→strength→✏️ Quick Practice
Quick Quiz: hierro
Question 1 of 2
Which sentence uses 'hierro' in its most common meaning?
📚 More Resources
👥 Word Family▼
🎵 Rhymes▼
📚 Etymology▼
The word comes directly from the Latin word *ferrum*, which meant 'iron' or 'sword.' This root is why you see related Spanish words like *férreo* (steely/iron-like) and the English chemical symbol Fe.
First recorded: Before 10th century
Cognates (Related words)
💡 Master Spanish
Take your Spanish to the next level. Read 200+ illustrated and narrated Spanish stories tailored to your level with the Inklingo app!
Frequently Asked Questions
Is 'hierro' pronounced with the 'H' sound?
No, the 'h' in 'hierro' is completely silent. It is pronounced like 'YAIR-roh.' The 'ie' combination sounds like the 'ye' in the English word 'yes'.
What is the difference between 'hierro' and 'acero'?
'Hierro' is pure iron (the element). 'Acero' means steel, which is an alloy—mostly iron mixed with carbon to make it even stronger and more versatile. In everyday conversation, they are sometimes used loosely, but 'acero' is technically stronger.