Landscapes are the shapes of the terrain and the natural elements you see in a place. They are used to describe nature, to orient a location, and to say what a site is like. A landscape can have mountains, rivers, forests, a beach or a desert. It can also combine several elements at once. When you talk about a place, you can say there is a green landscape, a dry landscape, or a mountainous landscape. These words appear a lot in travel descriptions, of Directions and Localizations and of Travel and Transport.

A mountain is a large and high elevation of the terrain. When there are several mountains together, one speaks of a sierra or a cordillera. A cordillera is a very long chain of mountains. It is used for high, rocky landscapes with slopes. You can say: There is a mountain in the background or The cordillera crosses the country. On many maps, mountains help to understand the shape of the territory.

altiplanoladeracimavalle altosierracordillerapeñascomontañarocadesfiladero

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Un conjunto de montañas alineadas en una misma zonaUna cadena muy larga de montañas que recorre una regiónUna llanura situada a gran altura sobre el nivel del marUna roca muy grande y aislada en el paisajeUna elevación grande de tierra que suele tener laderas y una cimaLa parte inclinada de una montañaLa parte más alta de una montañaUna masa dura de piedra que forma parte del terrenoUna zona entre montañas situada a bastante alturaUn paso estrecho entre montañas o paredes de roca

Vocabulary of high and rocky relief

Word	Definition
montaña	A large elevation of land that typically has slopes and a summit.
sierra	A group of mountains aligned in the same area.
cordillera	A very long chain of mountains that runs through a region.
cima	The highest part of a mountain.
ladera	The sloped part of a mountain.
peñasco	A very large and isolated rock in the landscape.
valle alto	A zone between mountains located at considerable height.
roca	A hard mass of stone that forms part of the terrain.
desfiladero	A narrow passage between mountains or rock walls.
altiplano	A high-altitude plain above sea level.

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A valle is a low area between mountains or hills. A llanura is a wide and flat terrain. A meseta is high, but its surface is fairly flat. These words describe open and calm landscapes, with little slope. You can talk about a valle verde, a llanura extensa or a meseta alta. In geography and in place descriptions, they are also useful to contrast with Mountains and mountain ranges.

mesetallanohondonadallanuradepresiónriberaplaniciecampo abiertopraderavalle

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Una zona baja entre montañas donde a veces pasa un ríoUn terreno cubierto de hierba donde suelen pastar animalesUn terreno amplio y casi planoUn lugar sin muchas subidas ni bajadasUn hundimiento pequeño del terrenoUna zona del terreno más baja que las que la rodeanUna superficie plana situada en alturaUn espacio amplio sin muchas construccionesUna extensión grande y plana de terrenoLa franja de tierra junto a un río

Vocabulary of broad and flat terrains

Word	Definition
valle	A low area between mountains where a river sometimes passes.
llanura	A broad and almost flat terrain.
meseta	A flat surface at height.
llano	A place without many uphill or downhill sections.
pradera	A terrain covered with grass where animals usually graze.
depresión	A lower area of terrain than the surrounding areas.
hondonada	A small dip in the land.
campo abierto	An open space without many buildings.
planicie	A large and flat expanse of terrain.
ribera	The strip of land along a river.

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A río is a natural current of water that flows toward another river, a lake or the sea. A lago is a large body of water surrounded by land. A laguna is smaller than a lake and usually shallow. These elements form landscapes with freshwater. You can say the river passes through the town or there is a lagoon near the forest. In many places, rivers mark natural boundaries and also help to locate towns and cities.

manantialarroyopantanodeltalagunaorillaríocaucecaudallago

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Un terreno con agua estancada o muy lentaEl camino por donde pasa un ríoUn lugar donde el agua sale del sueloLa zona donde un río se divide antes de llegar al marLa cantidad de agua que lleva un ríoUna acumulación pequeña de agua en el paisajeLa parte de tierra junto al aguaUna corriente natural de agua que fluye por el terrenoUn curso de agua pequeñoUna gran masa de agua dulce rodeada de tierra

Vocabulary of freshwater in the landscape

Word	Definition
río	A natural river current that flows through the terrain.
lago	A great mass of freshwater surrounded by land.
laguna	A small accumulation of water in the landscape.
arroyo	A small watercourse.
manantial	A place where water comes out of the ground.
delta	The area where a river divides before reaching the sea.
orilla	The edge of land beside the water.
caudal	The amount of water carried by a river.
cauce	The path by which a river passes.
pantano	A land with stagnant or very slow water.

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The playa is the strip of sand or stones along the sea. The costa is the area where land meets the sea. A acantilado is a high and almost vertical wall of rock beside the water. These words are used for marine landscapes and to describe routes, views and regions. You can say a calm beach, the northern coast or a cliff above the sea. In Vida Urbana, they also appear when talking about coastal cities.

acantiladocostacostaacantiladoplayalitoralcostaplayaplayalitoral

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Se usa para un borde rocoso que cae hacia el marSe usa para la orilla marina de arena o piedras en lenguaje cotidianoSe usa para una pared de roca muy alta junto al marSe usa para la franja de tierra junto al mar en un sentido generalSe usa para la zona cercana al mar en un uso muy comúnSe usa para la zona costera en un sentido amplio y formalSe usa para la parte del territorio que toca el marSe usa para la orilla de arena junto al mar donde la gente descansaSe usa para hablar de la zona costera de forma técnica o geográficaSe usa para la franja de arena junto al agua en un contexto turístico

Regional names for marine landscapes

Region	Variant	Definition	Example
Spain	costa	Used for the strip of land next to the sea in a general sense.	La costa estaba llena de barquitos blancos.The coast was full of white boats.
Mexico	playa	Used for the shore of sand next to the sea where people rest.	La playa tenía sombrillas de todos los colores.The beach had umbrellas of all colors.
Argentina	acantilado	Used for a very tall rock face beside the sea.	El acantilado daba vértigo hasta a las gaviotas.The cliff gave vertigo even to the seagulls.
Chile	litoral	Used for the coastal zone in a broad and formal sense.	El litoral se veía largo y ventoso.The coastline looked long and windy.
Colombia	costa	Used for the area near the sea in a very common use.	La costa olía a sal y a frituras felices.The coast smelled of salt and happy fried foods.
Peru	playa	Used for the shoreline of sand or stones in everyday language.	La playa estaba llena de castillos de arena.The beach was full of sandcastles.
Uruguay	costa	Used for the part of the territory that touches the sea.	La costa tenía olas con ganas de bailar.The coast had waves ready to dance.
Ecuador	acantilado	Used for a rocky edge that drops toward the sea.	El acantilado parecía una torta cortada por un gigante.The cliff looked like a cake cut by a giant.
Dominican Republic	playa	Used for the strip of sand next to the water in a tourist context.	La playa estaba lista para una fiesta de palmeras.The beach was ready for a palm tree party.
Panama	litoral	Used to talk about the coastal zone in a technical or geographic sense.	El litoral recibió una brisa muy juguetona.The coastline received a very playful breeze.

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A bosque is an area with many trees. The selva is a very dense forest, with abundant vegetation and a warm climate. A pradera is a stretch of grass, with few trees. These words describe green landscapes full of life. You can say a humid forest, the tropical jungle or an open prairie. They are very common words when talking about Animals and Plants, because many animals and plants live in these environments.

claroarboledavergelpraderasotobosqueselvabosquematorralcampiñaarbusto

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Una zona con arbustos y plantas bajasUn grupo de árboles juntosUn terreno amplio cubierto de hierbaLa vegetación que crece bajo los árbolesUn espacio abierto dentro del bosqueUn lugar con muchos árbolesUna planta baja y leñosaUn paisaje rural con campos y vegetaciónUn bosque muy denso y cálido con mucha vegetaciónUn lugar muy verde y lleno de plantas

Vocabulary of vegetation zones

Word	Definition
bosque	A place with many trees.
selva	A very dense and warm forest with a lot of vegetation.
pradera	A wide terrain covered with grass where animals graze.
arboleda	A group of trees together.
matorral	A zone with shrubs and low plants.
sotobosque	The understory vegetation that grows under trees.
claro	An open space inside the forest.
arbusto	A low, woody plant.
vergel	A very green place full of plants.
campiña	A rural landscape with fields and vegetation.

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A desierto is a very dry area, with little rainfall and little vegetation. A duna is an accumulation of sand formed by the wind. Deserts can have rock, sand or both, but they always have very little surface water. You can say the desert is vast or the dunes change with the wind. These words are used for arid and open landscapes, where the color of the sand dominates the view.

áridotierra baldíasalinasecocalinadesiertoarenaloasisdunaestepa

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Una colina de arena formada por el vientoUn lugar con muy poca aguaUn lugar con agua y plantas en el desiertoUn terreno pobre y casi sin plantasUn aire muy caliente y seco del desiertoUna llanura seca con vegetación bajaUn espacio cubierto de arenaUna zona muy seca con poca vegetaciónUn terreno muy seco y con poca lluviaUn lugar donde se acumula mucha sal al evaporarse el agua

Vocabulary of dry and sandy landscapes

Word	Definition
desierto	A very dry area with little vegetation.
duna	A sand hill formed by the wind.
oasis	A place with water and plants in the desert.
arenal	An area covered with sand.
árido	A terrain very dry with little rainfall.
seco	A place with very little water.
salina	A place where a lot of salt accumulates as water evaporates.
estepa	A dry plain with low vegetation.
tierra baldía	A poor soil with almost no plants.
calina	A very hot and dry air of the desert.

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A volcán is a mountain through which materials from the Earth's interior can emerge. The cráter is the opening at the top of the volcano. Lava is the molten rock that erupts when a volcano erupts. A glaciar is a large mass of ice that moves slowly. A nevado is a snow-covered mountain. These words serve for extreme landscapes, of volcanic heat or intense cold, and appear frequently in descriptions of high mountains and impressive nature.

hielofumarolalavacenizanevadocráterpendiente nevadaglaciarvolcánerupción

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Un lugar cubierto de nieve durante mucho tiempoEl polvo fino que queda después de una erupciónLa roca fundida que sale de un volcánLa salida violenta de materiales de un volcánAgua convertida en sólido por el fríoUna ladera cubierta de nieveLa abertura en la parte superior de un volcánUna montaña que puede expulsar lava y gasesUn chorro de vapor o gas que sale de la tierraUna gran masa de hielo que se mueve lentamente

Vocabulary of fire and cold in the landscape

Word	Definition
volcán	A mountain that can erupt lava and gases.
cráter	The opening at the top of a volcano.
lava	The molten rock that comes out of a volcano.
glaciar	A large mass of ice moving slowly.
nevado	A place covered with snow for a long time.
ceniza	The fine powder left after an eruption.
hielo	Water converted to solid by cold.
fumarola	A jet of steam or gas that comes from the earth.
erupción	The violent release of materials from a volcano.
pendiente nevada	A snow-covered slope.

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To describe a place, you can say the view is impressive or the landscape is beautiful. Nature names the set of natural elements that surround a place. You can also locate a site with expressions like to the north, to the south, near the river or next to the beach. On a route, these expressions help to indicate where something is and what is around. You can say There is a town to the north of the lake or The house is near the forest. With an adjective and a place, the description sounds natural: a rocky landscape, a wide view, a green zone.

Expressions to describe landscapes and locate places

Usage	Explanation
General description of the landscape	Used to say that a place has a very beautiful or impressive appearance.
Main visual element	Used to name what is seen from a place.
Natural environment	Used to talk about the nature surrounding a site.
Orientation location	Used to indicate the north side of a place.
Proximity to a point	Used to say that something is a short distance from another place.
Visual comparison	Used to highlight that something seems very striking to the eye.
Elevated point	Used to observe a place from a height.
Refer to surroundings	Used to talk about everything that surrounds a place.
Precise location	Used to indicate where something is in relation to another place.
Mental image of the site	Used to describe how a landscape is perceived.

These words change in gender and plural like most nouns. You say 'the mountain' and 'the mountains', 'the river' and 'the rivers', 'the beach' and 'the beaches'. If the word ends in -a, it normally uses la in singular and las in plural. If it ends in -o, it normally uses el in singular and los in plural. Some change the article according to meaning, like el valle and los valles. In a description, the adjective must also agree: the extensive plain, the high mountain ranges, the green forests.

Basic rules of gender and plurality

Idea
Feminine words like montaña change to plural with montañas.
Masculine words like río change to plural with ríos.
If the word ends with a vowel, usually add s to form the plural.
If the word ends with a consonant, usually add es to form the plural.
The article must agree with the gender of the word.
The adjective must also agree with number.
Some landscape words are masculine even if they end in a vowel.
Some landscape words are feminine even if they end in a consonant.
In descriptions, it helps to repeat the plural when speaking of several forms of relief.
To talk about a single area, use the singular.

Some words change according to the region. Sierra can refer to a smaller chain of mountains or to a specific mountainous area. Cordillera is used for a very large chain of mountains. Costa is common in many countries, and litoral appears often in more formal records or maps. In Latin America there are also local names for landscapes and geographic features, and they can vary from country to country. In a conversation, the context usually shows whether one is talking about the shore of the sea, a chain of mountains, or a natural region.

cordilleracostacordónaltiplanocordilleracostalitorallitoralsierrasierra

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Se usa de forma cotidiana para la zona cercana al mar o a un lago grandeSe usa para una serie grande de montañas en geografíaSe usa mucho para una cadena de montañas en sentido geográficoSe usa para hablar de la zona alta de montañas como región del paísSe usa en algunos contextos para una cadena pequeña de montañasSe usa para una meseta muy alta en las zonas andinasSe usa para una gran cadena montañosa y es muy común en geografíaSe usa en contextos formales para la zona junto al marSe usa para referirse a la franja costera en registros más técnicosSe usa para el borde del territorio junto al mar

Regional nuances of geographic vocabulary

Region	Variant	Definition	Example
Spain	sierra	Used a lot for a chain of mountains in geographic sense.	La sierra estaba cubierta de pinos.The sierra was covered with pines.
Colombia	cordillera	Used for a great mountain range and is very common in geography.	La cordillera cruzaba el país de punta a punta.The cordillera crossed the country from end to end.
Mexico	litoral	Used in formal contexts for the zone beside the sea.	El litoral recibió nubes y brisa salada.The litoral received clouds and salty breeze.
Argentina	costa	Used in everyday form for the zone near the sea or a large lake.	La costa estaba llena de familias caminando.The costa was full of families walking.
Chile	cordón	Used in some contexts for a small chain of mountains.	El cordón separaba dos valles verdes.The cordón separated two green valleys.
Peru	sierra	Used to talk about the highland region of mountains as a part of the country.	La sierra amaneció con niebla.The sierra woke up with fog.
Ecuador	cordillera	Used for a large series of mountains in geography.	La cordillera se veía enorme desde la carretera.The cordillera looked huge from the highway.
Uruguay	costa	Used for the edge of the territory touching the sea.	La costa era perfecta para caminar al atardecer.The costa was perfect for walking at sunset.
Bolivia	altiplano	Used for a very high plateau in the Andean regions.	El altiplano parecía tocar las nubes.The altiplano seemed to touch the clouds.
Panama	litoral	Used to refer to the coastal strip in more technical records.	El litoral tiene paisajes muy variados.The litoral has very varied landscapes.

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