Inklingo

How to Say "fragrance" in Spanish

English → Spanish

perfume

per-FOO-meh/peɾˈfume/

nounA1general
Use 'perfume' when referring to a pleasant smell, especially a commercial product like cologne or eau de toilette, or a general pleasant scent.
A high quality storybook illustration of an ornate, clear glass perfume bottle with a decorative stopper, sitting on a surface. A soft, fragrant mist is depicted rising from the atomizer.

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'.)

aroma

/ah-ROH-mah//aˈɾoma/

nounA2general
Use 'aroma' for the characteristic smell of something, particularly food, coffee, or natural scents like flowers.
A steaming cup of coffee with swirling steam rising into the air, representing a pleasant scent.

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.

esencia

eh-SEHN-syah/eˈsen.θja/

nounB1general
Use 'esencia' when referring to a concentrated extract that provides a scent or flavor, such as in cooking or aromatherapy.
A clear glass dropper bottle containing a small amount of dark, concentrated amber liquid, sitting next to a small heap of fresh, vibrant purple lavender flowers.

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.

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