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sangre

/SAHN-greh/

blood

A single, bright red drop of blood resting on a clean white bandage, illustrating the physical liquid.

The most common meaning of 'sangre' is the red liquid (blood) that flows through the body.

sangre(Noun)

fA2

blood

?

The red liquid in the body of people and animals.

Also:

gore

?

When talking about violence in movies or stories.

📝 In Action

El médico necesita una muestra de tu sangre.

A2

The doctor needs a sample of your blood.

Perdió mucha sangre en el accidente.

B1

He lost a lot of blood in the accident.

Mi tipo de sangre es O positivo.

B1

My blood type is O positive.

Word Connections

Common Collocations

  • donar sangre – to donate blood
  • tipo de sangre – blood type
  • análisis de sangre – blood test
  • presión de la sangre – blood pressure

Idioms & Expressions

  • a sangre fría – To do something cruelly and without emotion.
  • hervirle la sangre a alguien – To make someone extremely angry.

💡 Grammar Points

Always Feminine: 'la sangre'

Even though 'sangre' ends with an '-e', it's a feminine word. Always remember to use 'la' or 'una' with it, like 'la sangre' (the blood) or 'una mancha de sangre' (a bloodstain).

❌ Common Pitfalls

Using 'el' instead of 'la'

Mistake: "El doctor analizó el sangre."

Correction: El doctor analizó la sangre. Remember, 'sangre' is feminine!

⭐ Usage Tips

Medical Contexts

You'll hear and use 'sangre' most often when talking about health, injuries, or at the doctor's office. Phrases like 'análisis de sangre' (blood test) are very useful.

Three figures representing three generations—a grandmother, a mother, and a child—standing together, sharing a distinct feature (like hair color) to illustrate a family lineage or ancestry.

Figuratively, 'sangre' refers to bloodline, ancestry, or family heritage.

sangre(Noun)

fB2

bloodline

?

Family, ancestry, or heritage.

Also:

ancestry

?

Referring to one's origins.

,

lineage

?

Describing descent from an ancestor.

📝 In Action

Lleva la música en la sangre; toda su familia es de artistas.

B2

He has music in his blood; his whole family are artists.

Es un caballo de pura sangre.

B2

It's a pure-blood / thoroughbred horse.

Aunque nació en Canadá, tiene sangre colombiana.

C1

Even though he was born in Canada, he has Colombian blood (heritage).

Word Connections

Synonyms

  • linaje (lineage)
  • ascendencia (ancestry)

Common Collocations

  • sangre azul – blue blood (noble heritage)
  • lazos de sangre – blood ties
  • hermano/a de sangre – blood brother/sister

Idioms & Expressions

  • llevar algo en la sangre – To have a natural talent or inclination for something because of your family.

⭐ Usage Tips

Talking About Heritage

This meaning is a beautiful, more poetic way to talk about where your family comes from or the talents you share with them. It's less about biology and more about identity.

✏️ Quick Practice

💡 Quick Quiz: sangre

Question 1 of 1

Which sentence uses 'sangre' to talk about family or heritage?

📚 More Resources

Word Family

sangrar(to bleed) - verb
sangriento(bloody, gory) - adjective
desangrar(to bleed out, to drain of blood) - verb
sanguíneo(related to blood; sanguine) - adjective

Frequently Asked Questions

Why is 'sangre' feminine ('la sangre') if it ends in '-e'?

That's a great question! While many Spanish words ending in '-o' are masculine and '-a' are feminine, there are many exceptions. The gender of words often comes from their Latin roots. 'Sangre' is one of those words ending in '-e' that is feminine. The best way is to learn it together with its article: 'la sangre'.

What's the difference between 'sangre' and 'sangría'?

They sound similar, but are very different! 'Sangre' is 'blood'. 'Sangría' is a popular Spanish drink made with red wine and fruit. The drink is named 'sangría' because its deep red color looks like blood ('sangre').