luna
“luna” means “moon” in Spanish. It has 3 different meanings depending on context:
moon
Also: moonlight
📝 In Action
La luna está muy brillante esta noche.
A1The moon is very bright tonight.
Anoche fuimos a la playa a la luz de la luna.
A2Last night we went to the beach in the moonlight.
El primer hombre en la luna fue Neil Armstrong.
B1The first man on the moon was Neil Armstrong.
window pane / glass
Also: windshield / rear window, mirror
📝 In Action
Tengo una grieta en la luna delantera del coche.
B1I have a crack in the car's front windshield.
Un ladrón rompió la luna del escaparate para robar.
B2A thief broke the shop window to steal.
moon
Also: satellite
📝 In Action
Júpiter tiene decenas de lunas, algunas más grandes que Mercurio.
B2Jupiter has dozens of moons, some larger than Mercury.
Los científicos están buscando vida en las lunas de Saturno.
C1Scientists are looking for life on the moons of Saturn.
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✏️ Quick Practice
Quick Quiz: luna
Question 1 of 1
Your friend from Spain says, '¡Cuidado! Se rompió la luna del coche.' What broke?
📚 More Resources
👥 Word Family▼
📚 Etymology▼
Comes directly from the Latin word 'lūna', which also meant 'moon'. The Romans believed the moon influenced people's minds, which is where we get related words like 'lunatic'.
First recorded: Around the 10th century
Cognates (Related words)
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Frequently Asked Questions
Why is 'luna' feminine ('la luna')?
There's no deep reason! In Spanish, every 'thing' (or noun) is assigned a gender, either masculine ('el') or feminine ('la'). Words ending in '-a', like 'luna', are almost always feminine. You just have to learn them as a pair: 'la luna'.
What's the difference between 'luna' and 'Luna'?
It's all about capitalization. With a lowercase 'l' ('luna'), you're talking about the moon in a general, everyday way ('¡Qué bonita está la luna!'). With a capital 'L' ('Luna'), you're using its official proper name, usually in science or astronomy ('La distancia de la Tierra a la Luna es...').