rana
/rra-na/
frog
Rana, meaning the animal frog.
📝 In Action
La rana verde croó fuertemente cerca del estanque.
A1The green frog croaked loudly near the pond.
Mi hermana tiene miedo a las ranas y los sapos.
A2My sister is afraid of frogs and toads.
Encontré una rana diminuta saltando en el jardín.
B1I found a tiny frog jumping in the garden.
💡 Grammar Points
Gender is Fixed
Since 'rana' is a noun for an animal, it is always feminine (la rana), even if you are referring to a male frog.
❌ Common Pitfalls
Frog vs. Toad
Mistake: "Using 'rana' for 'toad'."
Correction: The correct word for 'toad' is 'sapo'. While related, 'rana' usually implies the smoother-skinned, more aquatic animal, and 'sapo' the warty, terrestrial one.
⭐ Usage Tips
Sound Mnemonic
The sound a frog makes is called 'croar' (to croak) in Spanish, which is very similar to the English sound.
Rana, referring to the traditional coin-toss game (El Juego de la Rana).
rana(noun)
the frog game
?traditional coin-toss game (El Juego de la Rana)
toss game
?general game description
📝 In Action
Después del almuerzo, jugamos una partida de rana en el patio.
B1After lunch, we played a round of the frog game in the courtyard.
Hacer un punto en la boca de la rana vale el doble.
B2Scoring a point in the frog's mouth is worth double.
💡 Grammar Points
Capitalization
When referring to the official game title, sometimes people capitalize it (El Juego de la Rana), but the word 'rana' itself remains lowercase unless it starts a sentence.
⭐ Usage Tips
Context Clue
If you hear 'rana' being used with verbs like 'jugar' (to play) or 'lanzar' (to throw), the speaker is likely referring to the game, not the animal.
✏️ Quick Practice
💡 Quick Quiz: rana
Question 1 of 2
Which sentence uses 'rana' to talk about the game, not the animal?
📚 More Resources
Frequently Asked Questions
¿Es 'rana' el mismo animal que 'sapo'?
No, aunque son parientes. Una 'rana' (frog) generalmente tiene la piel lisa y vive más cerca del agua. Un 'sapo' (toad) suele tener la piel más rugosa y vive más en tierra firme. En inglés se distinguen, y en español también.
Why is the traditional game called 'La Rana'?
The game is named 'The Frog' because the primary, highest-scoring target is a small metal figure of a frog with its mouth open. Players try to toss their coins directly into its mouth.