toro
/TOH-roh/
bull
Toro, meaning 'bull', refers to the male bovine animal.
toro(noun)
bull
?male bovine animal
ox
?castrated male bovine (less common, but contextually possible)
📝 In Action
El granjero tiene un toro muy fuerte en su campo.
A1The farmer has a very strong bull in his field.
Vimos un toro pastando cerca del río.
A2We saw a bull grazing near the river.
El toro es el macho de la vaca.
A1The bull is the male of the cow.
💡 Grammar Points
Gender Rule
Since 'toro' refers to a male animal, it is a masculine noun. Remember to use the masculine article 'el' (el toro).
❌ Common Pitfalls
Confusing Gender
Mistake: "Using 'la tora' (which refers to the female animal)."
Correction: The female version is 'la vaca' (the cow). The word 'toro' is always masculine.
⭐ Usage Tips
Distinction in Spanish
Spanish has specific words for the male ('toro') and female ('vaca') animal, unlike English which often uses 'cattle' for the group.
Toro can also refer to the cultural spectacle of a bullfight.
📝 In Action
Iremos a la plaza de toros este domingo.
B1We will go to the bullring this Sunday.
El toro es una tradición muy antigua en esa región.
B2The bullfight (or bullfighting) is a very old tradition in that region.
💡 Grammar Points
Using 'Plaza de Toros'
When talking about the location, the phrase 'plaza de toros' is standard. Notice that 'toros' is plural here.
⭐ Usage Tips
Cultural Note
In this context, 'toro' is a shorthand way of saying 'the event involving bulls,' similar to how we might say 'the game' instead of 'the football match.'
The word toro is used for the astrological sign Taurus.
📝 In Action
Mi signo del zodíaco es Tauro, o 'el Toro'.
B2My zodiac sign is Taurus, or 'the Bull'.
Las personas nacidas bajo el signo de Toro son conocidas por ser tercas.
C1People born under the sign of Taurus are known for being stubborn.
💡 Grammar Points
Capitalization
Unlike English, Spanish generally does not capitalize the names of zodiac signs unless they start a sentence.
⭐ Usage Tips
Alternative Name
While 'toro' works, the proper astrological name 'Tauro' is much more common when talking about the sign itself.
✏️ Quick Practice
💡 Quick Quiz: toro
Question 1 of 1
Which sentence uses 'toro' to refer to a cultural spectacle rather than an animal?
📚 More Resources
Frequently Asked Questions
Is 'toro' always masculine?
Yes, 'toro' is always a masculine noun. It refers specifically to the male bovine animal. The female is called 'vaca' (cow).
How is 'toro' related to the word for bullfighting?
The word 'toro' often acts as a stand-in for the entire cultural event ('corrida de toros'), especially in phrases like 'plaza de toros' (bullring), because the bull is the central element of the spectacle.