Inklingo

How to Say "viper" in Spanish

English → Spanish

víbora

nounB1general
Use 'víbora' when you are referring to a specific type of venomous snake, often with a particular species in mind.

Examples

Ten cuidado al caminar por las rocas, podría haber una víbora.

Be careful when walking on the rocks; there might be a viper.

serpiente

ser-PYEN-teh/seɾˈpjente/

nounB2general/figurative
Use 'serpiente' when referring to a snake in a general sense, or metaphorically to describe someone who is deceitful or malicious.
A person with a secretive, sly expression holding a mask behind their back, symbolizing deceit or treachery.

Examples

Cuidado con ese hombre, es una serpiente; te traicionará.

Be careful with that man, he is a snake; he will betray you.

Ella sonríe mucho, pero en el fondo es una serpiente.

She smiles a lot, but deep down she is a viper.

Gender Consistency

When used figuratively, the word 'serpiente' remains feminine ('una serpiente') even if you are talking about a man. It describes his character, not his biological gender.

Using Masculine Article

Mistake: “Él es un serpiente.”

Correction: Él es una serpiente. (The noun itself is feminine, even when referring to a male person.)

Literal vs. Figurative Use

Learners often mistakenly use 'víbora' to describe a malicious person. Remember that 'víbora' is almost always literal, referring to the snake itself. For figurative meanings of treachery, 'serpiente' is the correct choice.

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