Inklingo

How to Say "herd" in Spanish

The most common Spanish word for “herd” is “rebaño” — use 'rebaño' for a general group of livestock, especially sheep or goats, often guided by a shepherd.

English → Spanish

rebaño

nounA2general
Use 'rebaño' for a general group of livestock, especially sheep or goats, often guided by a shepherd.

Examples

El pastor guía a su rebaño hacia la montaña.

The shepherd guides his flock toward the mountain.

ganado

gah-NAH-dohɡaˈnaðo

nounB1general
Use 'ganado' to refer to a group of domestic animals, especially cattle, considered as livestock.
A simple colorful illustration showing a cow, a sheep, and a pig standing together in a sunny green pasture, representing farm animals collectively.

Examples

El granjero vendió todo su ganado en la feria de primavera.

The farmer sold all his livestock at the spring fair.

Cuidar el ganado es un trabajo duro que requiere madrugar.

Taking care of the cattle is hard work that requires getting up early.

Always Singular

Even though 'ganado' refers to many animals, it is almost always treated as a singular masculine noun, similar to how English uses the word 'stock'.

Using the Feminine

Mistake: “La ganada...”

Correction: Always use the masculine article: 'El ganado.' It does not change gender.

manada

mah-NAH-dahmaˈnaða

nounB1general
Use 'manada' for a herd of larger grazing animals like cattle, horses, or wild animals such as elephants.
A simple drawing of three large gray elephants standing close together on a grassy plain, representing a herd.

Examples

Vimos una gran manada de elefantes cruzando la sabana.

We saw a large herd of elephants crossing the savanna.

La manada de lobos cazó un ciervo anoche.

The pack of wolves hunted a deer last night.

El león es el líder de la manada.

The lion is the leader of the pride/pack.

Feminine Noun

Since 'manada' ends in -a, it is always a feminine word. Use feminine articles and adjectives with it: 'una manada grande' (a big herd).

Verb Agreement

Mistake: “Las manadas están corriendo. (Using plural verb form)”

Correction: La manada está corriendo. (The word 'manada' is singular, so the verb must be singular, even if it refers to many animals.)

grey

greyɡɾei

nounC1formal/literary
Use 'grey' for a group of animals, often implying a more formal or literary context, particularly for sheep or a collective group.
A group of fluffy white sheep standing together in a lush green meadow.

Examples

El pastor guiaba a su grey por el sendero de la montaña.

The shepherd guided his flock along the mountain path.

La grey pastaba tranquilamente bajo el sol de la tarde.

The flock was grazing peacefully under the afternoon sun.

Es difícil mantener a toda la grey unida durante la tormenta.

It is difficult to keep the whole herd together during the storm.

It's Feminine!

Even though it doesn't end in 'a', this word is feminine. You should always use 'la' or 'una' with it (e.g., la grey).

Making it Plural

To make this word plural, add '-es' to the end: 'las greyes'. The 'y' acts like a consonant here.

Gender Error

Mistake: “el grey”

Correction: la grey (it is a feminine noun).

ganadería

nounB2specific/technical
Use 'ganadería' to refer specifically to the stock of animals on a ranch or farm, rather than the group itself.

Examples

Fuimos a visitar una ganadería de toros bravos.

We went to visit a ranch for fighting bulls.

rebaño

nounB2figurative
Use this figurative sense of 'rebaño' to describe a group of people who follow others blindly without independent thought.

Examples

No seas parte del rebaño; piensa por ti mismo.

Don't be part of the herd; think for yourself.

Livestock vs. General Group

The most common confusion is between 'ganado' and 'rebaño'. 'Ganado' is broader for domestic livestock, especially cattle, while 'rebaño' is often used for sheep/goats and has a figurative meaning for people.

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