Inklingo

How to Say "rainforest" in Spanish

English → Spanish

selva

/sel-vah//ˈselβa/

nounA1general
Use 'selva' for the general concept of a large tropical forest or rainforest, especially when referring to vast ecosystems like the Amazon.
A lush, dense rainforest scene showing tall trees and overlapping green canopy with colorful orchids blooming near the ground.

Examples

La selva amazónica es el pulmón del planeta.

The Amazon rainforest is the lung of the planet.

Tuvimos que abrirnos camino con un machete a través de la densa selva.

We had to cut our way through the dense jungle with a machete.

En la selva viven miles de especies de animales que no se encuentran en ningún otro lugar.

Thousands of animal species that are not found anywhere else live in the rainforest.

Gender Check

Remember that 'selva' is always feminine, so you must use 'la selva' or 'una selva'.

Selva vs. Bosque

Mistake: “Using 'bosque' for the Amazon.”

Correction: 'Selva' specifically refers to a very dense, usually tropical, rainforest. 'Bosque' is a general term for any forest or woods (like a temperate forest).

jungla

/hoong-glah//ˈxuŋ.ɡla/

nounA2general
Use 'jungla' when you want to emphasize the dense, wild, or difficult-to-navigate aspect of a tropical forest, often implying a more untamed environment.
A lush, dense tropical forest scene. Thick, green vines hang down from tall canopy trees, and large colorful leaves cover the jungle floor, illustrating a massive, untamed wilderness.

Examples

Tuvimos que abrirnos paso con machetes a través de la jungla.

We had to hack our way through the jungle with machetes.

La jungla amazónica alberga miles de especies de animales.

The Amazon jungle is home to thousands of animal species.

Gender Check

Remember that 'jungla' is always feminine, so you must use 'la jungla' or 'una jungla'.

Using the wrong article

Mistake: “El jungla es verde.”

Correction: La jungla es verde. (It is a feminine noun, even though it ends in 'a' like many feminine words.)

Selva vs. Jungla

Learners often confuse 'selva' and 'jungla'. Remember that 'selva' is the more common and general term for 'rainforest'. 'Jungla' carries a stronger connotation of being wild, dense, and perhaps difficult to traverse, so use it when that specific feeling is intended.

Related Translations

Learn Spanish with Inklingo

Interactive stories, personalized learning, and more.