océano
/oh-SEH-ah-noh/
ocean
The primary meaning of océano is a large body of saltwater, like the one shown here.
📝 In Action
El Océano Pacífico es el más grande del mundo.
A1The Pacific Ocean is the largest in the world.
Me gustaría vivir cerca del océano para escuchar las olas.
A2I would like to live near the ocean to hear the waves.
La contaminación del océano es un problema ambiental serio.
B1Ocean pollution is a serious environmental problem.
💡 Grammar Points
Gender Rule
Even though it ends in '-o', remember that 'océano' is a masculine word, so you must use 'el' or 'un' before it.
❌ Common Pitfalls
Using 'la'
Mistake: "La océano"
Correction: El océano. Always use the masculine article 'el' with this noun.
⭐ Usage Tips
Capitalization
When naming a specific ocean (like Océano Pacífico), Spanish usually capitalizes both words, just like in English.
Océano can also mean 'vastness,' representing an immense quantity or space.
océano(noun)
vastness
?immense quantity or space
,ocean (of)
?figurative large amount
abundance
?a great supply
📝 In Action
Después de la universidad, tenía un océano de posibilidades frente a ella.
C1After university, she had an ocean of possibilities in front of her.
El poeta describió la tristeza del personaje como un océano de lágrimas.
C2The poet described the character's sadness as an ocean of tears.
💡 Grammar Points
Figurative Use
This meaning is almost always followed by the preposition 'de' (of) to describe what the vast quantity consists of, like 'océano de conocimiento' (ocean of knowledge).
⭐ Usage Tips
Literary Flair
Use this meaning when you want to make your speech or writing sound more dramatic or poetic, emphasizing just how big something is.
✏️ Quick Practice
💡 Quick Quiz: océano
Question 1 of 2
Which sentence uses 'océano' in its figurative (non-literal) sense?
📚 More Resources
Frequently Asked Questions
Does 'océano' mean the same thing as 'mar' (sea)?
They are often used interchangeably, but technically, 'océano' refers to the five major, vast bodies of water (like the Pacific), while 'mar' usually refers to smaller sections of the ocean, especially those near land (like the Mediterranean Sea).
How do I pronounce the 'c' in 'océano'?
In most of Spain, the 'c' before 'e' sounds like the 'th' in 'think' (a lisp sound). In Latin America, the Canary Islands, and parts of Southern Spain, it sounds like an 's'.