How to Say "hillside" in Spanish
The most common Spanish word for “hillside” is “ladera” — use 'ladera' when referring to the general sloping side of a hill, often where things like vegetation grow or where animals graze.
ladera
lah-deh-rahlaˈðeɾa
Examples
Las ovejas pastan en la ladera de la colina.
The sheep graze on the hillside.
Nuestra casa está construida en una ladera muy empinada.
Our house is built on a very steep slope.
Bajamos con cuidado por la ladera norte de la montaña.
We carefully went down the north mountainside.
Always Feminine
The word 'ladera' is a feminine noun, so you should always use feminine words with it, like 'la ladera' or 'una ladera'.
Describing the slope
To describe how tilted the hill is, use adjectives like 'empinada' (steep) or 'suave' (gentle) right after the word.
Ladera vs. Pendiente
Mistake: “Using 'ladera' for the steepness of a road.”
Correction: Use 'ladera' for the side of a mountain itself; use 'pendiente' when you want to talk about how steep a path or road feels.
pendiente
pen-DYEN-tehpenˈdjen.te
Examples
Tuvimos que subir una pendiente muy pronunciada.
We had to climb a very steep slope.
La casa está construida en la pendiente de la colina.
The house is built on the hillside.
Gender Distinction
When 'pendiente' refers to a slope or incline, it is always feminine: 'la pendiente'. This is different from the masculine noun 'el pendiente' (earring).
Ladera vs. Pendiente
Related Translations
Learn Spanish with Inklingo
Interactive stories, personalized learning, and more.