Inklingo
← Dictionary

salvaje

sal-VA-he/salˈβaxe/

wild, untamed

Also: feral
A solitary gray wolf stands on a rocky outcrop in a dense forest, looking alert and untamed.

📝 In Action

Vimos un oso salvaje en la montaña.

A2

We saw a wild bear in the mountain.

La costa es muy salvaje y no hay edificios.

B1

The coast is very wild (natural) and there are no buildings.

Los caballos salvajes corren libres por la pradera.

A2

The wild horses run free across the prairie.

Word Connections

Synonyms

  • silvestre (wild (plants/environment))
  • indómito (untamed)

Antonyms

  • doméstico (domestic)
  • cultivado (cultivated)

Common Collocations

  • vida salvaje – wildlife
  • animal salvaje – wild animal

fierce, brutal

Also: uncivilized, savage
Adjectivem/fB2neutral/informal
A close-up illustration of a tiger's face with its mouth wide open, showing a fierce roar and intense eyes.

📝 In Action

Hubo una protesta salvaje en la ciudad, con muchos disturbios.

B2

There was a fierce/violent protest in the city, with many disturbances.

Su reacción fue tan salvaje que nadie supo qué hacer.

C1

His reaction was so brutal/uncivilized that nobody knew what to do.

Word Connections

Synonyms

Antonyms

  • educado (polite, educated)
  • civilizado (civilized)

Common Collocations

  • ataque salvaje – brutal attack

savage

Also: brute
Nounm/fB2neutral/historical
A simplified illustration of a person wearing rustic clothing and holding a wooden spear, standing against a backdrop of dense jungle foliage.

📝 In Action

Lo trataron como a un salvaje por no usar cubiertos.

B2

They treated him like a savage for not using cutlery.

Los exploradores se encontraron con los salvajes de la tribu.

C1

The explorers met the savages of the tribe.

Word Connections

Synonyms

  • bárbaro (barbarian)
  • bruto (brute)

Translate to Spanish

✏️ Quick Practice

Quick Quiz: salvaje

Question 1 of 1

Which sentence uses 'salvaje' to describe human behavior rather than nature?

📚 More Resources

👥 Word Family▼
salvajismo(savagery, barbarism) — Noun
salvajemente(wildly, savagely) — Adverb
🎵 Rhymes▼
📚 Etymology▼

Comes from the Old Spanish word 'salvage,' which itself descended from the Latin word *silvaticus*, meaning 'of the woods' or 'belonging to the forest.' This shows that the original meaning was simply 'untouched by man's civilization.'

First recorded: 13th century

Cognates (Related words)

French: sauvagePortuguese: selvagem

💡 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

Does 'salvaje' change its ending for masculine and feminine nouns?

No. 'Salvaje' is one of those adjectives that stays the same whether the noun it describes is masculine (el animal salvaje) or feminine (la zona salvaje). The only thing that changes is the article (el/la).

How do I say 'wildly' (as an adverb)?

You use the adverb form, 'salvajemente.' For example, 'El niño gritó salvajemente' (The child screamed wildly).