Inklingo

How to Say "sounds" in Spanish

The most common Spanish word for “sounds” is “sonidos” — use 'sonidos' when referring to any audible phenomena in general, especially those that are neutral or pleasant, like music, nature, or voices..

English → Spanish

sonidos

/soh-NEE-dohs//soˈniðos/

nounA1general
Use 'sonidos' when referring to any audible phenomena in general, especially those that are neutral or pleasant, like music, nature, or voices.
A bright red cartoon bird singing loudly on a tree branch and a small blue frog croaking on a lily pad below. Both the bird and the frog are emitting visible, wavy sound lines illustrating the concept of audible phenomena.

Examples

Me encantan los sonidos de la naturaleza, como el viento y el agua.

I love the sounds of nature, like the wind and the water.

El bebé empezó a hacer sonidos extraños después de comer.

The baby started making strange sounds after eating.

Los sonidos fuertes del concierto me dolieron los oídos.

The loud sounds of the concert hurt my ears.

Masculine Plural

'Sonidos' is the plural of the masculine noun 'sonido' (sound). Since it ends in '-os', always use masculine plural words before it, like 'los' (the) or 'muchos' (many).

Using Feminine Articles

Mistake: “Las sonidos son molestos.”

Correction: Los sonidos son molestos. ('Sonidos' is masculine, so use 'los'.)

ruidos

RUE-ee-dohs/'rwi.ðos/

nounA1general
Use 'ruidos' when referring specifically to loud, unpleasant, or disruptive noises that might disturb you.
A simple colorful illustration showing a dog barking loudly next to a child vigorously hitting a small wooden drum. Large, stylized curved lines indicate sound waves prominently emanating from both the dog's mouth and the drum.

Examples

No puedo dormir por los ruidos que vienen de la calle.

I can't sleep because of the noises coming from the street.

Después del accidente, se escucharon muchos ruidos de sirenas.

After the accident, many siren sounds were heard.

Los niños hicieron ruidos fuertes jugando en el parque.

The children made loud noises playing in the park.

Always Masculine Plural

Since 'ruidos' is the plural form of the noun 'ruido,' it is always masculine. You must use the masculine plural article 'los' (los ruidos) and masculine adjectives (ruidos fuertes).

Ruidos vs. Sonidos

Mistake: “Usar 'sonidos' cuando el sonido es molesto.”

Correction: Use 'ruidos' when the sound is loud, annoying, or disruptive (e.g., 'Los ruidos de la construcción son terribles'). 'Sonidos' is neutral and refers to any sound (e.g., 'Los sonidos de la guitarra son bonitos').

General Sounds vs. Disruptive Noises

The most common mistake is using 'ruidos' for all types of sounds. Remember that 'ruidos' specifically refers to unpleasant or loud noises, while 'sonidos' is the broader term for any audible phenomenon.

Related Translations

Learn Spanish with Inklingo

Interactive stories, personalized learning, and more.