terrestre
/te-RRES-tre/
land
Terrestre can describe animals or objects that belong to the land.
terrestre(adjective)
land
?related to things that live or move on the ground
overland
?transportation or travel by road/rail
,terrestrial
?scientific or formal contexts
📝 In Action
El elefante es el animal terrestre más grande.
A2The elephant is the largest land animal.
Prefiero el transporte terrestre porque me da miedo volar.
B1I prefer land transport because I am afraid of flying.
💡 Grammar Points
One Form for All
This word is 'gender neutral.' It stays exactly the same whether you are describing a masculine noun like 'el transporte' or a feminine noun like 'la planta.'
❌ Common Pitfalls
Avoid 'Terrestra'
Mistake: "La comunicación terrestra."
Correction: La comunicación terrestre. Even though 'comunicación' is feminine, words ending in -re usually don't change to -a.
⭐ Usage Tips
Scientific vs. Everyday
Use this word whenever you want to specify that something belongs on the ground rather than in the water or the sky.
Terrestre is also used to refer to things related to our planet, Earth.
terrestre(adjective)
Earth
?relating to our planet
earthly
?related to the world vs. spiritual things
📝 In Action
El globo terrestre es una representación de nuestro planeta.
B1The Earth's globe is a representation of our planet.
Buscamos señales de vida no terrestre.
B2We are looking for signs of non-Earth (extraterrestrial) life.
💡 Grammar Points
Adjective Placement
Like most descriptive adjectives in Spanish, 'terrestre' almost always comes AFTER the noun it describes.
✏️ Quick Practice
💡 Quick Quiz: terrestre
Question 1 of 2
Which of these is considered a 'transporte terrestre'?
📚 More Resources
Frequently Asked Questions
Does 'terrestre' mean 'dirty'?
No. While it comes from the word for 'earth' (tierra), it refers to the planet or the ground as a location. To say something is dirty with soil, you would use 'sucio' or 'manchado de tierra'.
Is an 'extraterrestre' related to this word?
Yes! 'Extra-' means 'outside,' so an 'extraterrestre' is simply someone or something from 'outside Earth.'