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How to Say "vocabulary" in Spanish

English → Spanish

vocabulario

bo-ka-bu-la-ryobo.ka.βu.ˈla.ɾjo

nounA1general
Use 'vocabulario' when referring to the general set of words a person knows or the words that make up a language.
A colorful tree where the leaves are shaped like various familiar objects such as an apple, a car, and a house.

Examples

Necesito aprender más vocabulario para hablar mejor.

I need to learn more vocabulary to speak better.

Ella tiene un vocabulario muy amplio porque lee mucho.

She has a very wide vocabulary because she reads a lot.

El vocabulario técnico de esta profesión es bastante complicado.

The technical vocabulary of this profession is quite complicated.

Always Singular for a Person's Knowledge

Even though you know thousands of words, you refer to them as 'el vocabulario' (singular). We only use the plural 'vocabularios' when comparing different sets of words, like the word lists from two different books.

The 'V' Sound

In Spanish, the 'v' is pronounced exactly like a 'b'. Think of it as 'bo-ka-bu-la-ryo' with a soft 'b' sound at the start.

Vocabulario vs. Palabra

Mistake: “Tengo que aprender muchos vocabularios nuevos.”

Correction: Tengo que aprender muchas palabras nuevas (or 'nuevo vocabulario'). Use 'palabras' for individual words and 'vocabulario' for the whole group.

términos

nounB1specific/technical
Use 'términos' when referring to the specific words or jargon used within a particular subject, field, or profession.

Examples

Necesitas aprender los términos técnicos de la medicina.

You need to learn the technical terms of medicine.

General vs. Specific Words

The most common mistake is using 'términos' for general language learning. Remember, 'vocabulario' is for the overall words you know, while 'términos' are the specialized words within a specific area.

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