How to Say "fragrance" in Spanish
The most common Spanish word for “fragrance” is “perfume” — use 'perfume' when referring to a pleasant smell, especially a commercial product like cologne or eau de toilette, or a general pleasant scent.
Use 'perfume' when referring to a pleasant smell, especially a commercial product like cologne or eau de toilette, or a general pleasant scent.
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Use 'aroma' for the characteristic smell of something, particularly food, coffee, or natural scents like flowers.
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Use 'esencia' when referring to a concentrated extract that provides a scent or flavor, such as in cooking or aromatherapy.
Learn more →per-FOO-mehpeɾˈfume
Examples
Compré un nuevo perfume para la fiesta.
I bought a new perfume for the party.
El perfume de las flores llenó toda la habitación.
The fragrance of the flowers filled the whole room.
¿Qué perfume usas? Huele delicioso.
What perfume do you wear? It smells delicious.
Masculine Gender Rule
Even though 'perfume' ends in '-e', it is a masculine noun. Always use 'el' or 'un' before it: 'el perfume'.
Gender Confusion
Mistake: “La perfume es muy fuerte.”
Correction: El perfume es muy fuerte. (Remember, it's masculine, so use 'el'.)
ah-ROH-mahaˈɾoma
Examples
Me encanta el aroma del café por la mañana.
I love the scent of coffee in the morning.
Las flores del jardín desprenden un aroma dulce.
The flowers in the garden give off a sweet fragrance.
El vino tiene un aroma frutal muy intenso.
The wine has a very intense fruity aroma.
The 'Masculine -a' Rule
Even though this word ends in '-a,' it is masculine. You must use 'el' or 'un' instead of 'la' or 'una.' This often happens with words that come from Greek.
Using 'la' instead of 'el'
Mistake: “La aroma es dulce.”
Correction: El aroma es dulce. Because the word is masculine, the words describing it (like 'the' or 'sweet') must match its masculine gender.
eh-SEHN-syaheˈsen.θja
Examples
Añade unas gotas de esencia de limón al glaseado.
Add a few drops of lemon extract to the frosting.
Compré una esencia de lavanda para el difusor.
I bought a lavender essential oil for the diffuser.
Esta colonia tiene una esencia dulce muy agradable.
This cologne has a very pleasant sweet fragrance.
Extract vs. Oil
Mistake: “Using 'esencia' for crude oil or cooking oil ('aceite').”
Correction: 'Esencia' usually implies a concentrated, scented, or flavored liquid. For cooking oil, use 'aceite de cocina', and for petroleum, use 'petróleo'.
Perfume vs. Aroma
Learners often confuse 'perfume' and 'aroma'. Remember that 'perfume' is frequently used for commercial scented products or a general pleasant smell, while 'aroma' is best for the specific scent of food, drinks, or natural elements like flowers.
Related Translations
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