Explore Spanish sea life vocabulary organized into animals, plants, and habitat categories to help you navigate ocean-related conversations.

Sea Animals

Sea animals are divided into categories like fish, mammals, and invertebrates. This section covers the most common and useful words for each group.

Fish

Fish are called peces in Spanish. Most fish names are masculine, and many end in -o or -a.

Spanish Singular	Spanish Plural	English Singular	English Plural	Spanish Example	English Example
el pez	los peces	the fish	the fish	El pez nada en el acuario.	The fish swims in the aquarium.
el tiburón	los tiburones	the shark	the sharks	El tiburón es un depredador.	The shark is a predator.
el salmón	los salmones	the salmon	the salmons	Me gusta el salmón a la parrilla.	I like grilled salmon.
la sardina	las sardinas	the sardine	the sardines	Las sardinas son pequeñas.	Sardines are small.
el atún	los atunes	the tuna	the tunas	El atún es muy nutritivo.	Tuna is very nutritious.

Mammals

Marine mammals are more diverse, and many names are borrowed from Latin roots. Most are masculine or feminine.

Spanish Singular	Spanish Plural	English Singular	English Plural	Spanish Example	English Example
la ballena	las ballenas	the whale	the whales	La ballena es el animal más grande.	The whale is the largest animal.
el delfín	los delfines	the dolphin	the dolphins	El delfín es muy inteligente.	The dolphin is very intelligent.
la foca	las focas	the seal	the seals	La foca descansa en las rocas.	The seal rests on the rocks.
el manatí	los manatíes	the manatee	the manatees	El manatí vive en aguas cálidas.	The manatee lives in warm waters.
la marsopa	las marsopas	the porpoise	the porpoises	La marsopa es similar al delfín.	The porpoise is similar to the dolphin.

Invertebrates

Invertebrates include animals without a backbone. Many have names ending in -a and are feminine.

Spanish Singular	Spanish Plural	English Singular	English Plural	Spanish Example	English Example
el pulpo	los pulpos	the octopus	the octopuses	El pulpo tiene ocho brazos.	The octopus has eight arms.
la medusa	las medusas	the jellyfish	the jellyfishes	La medusa flota en el agua.	The jellyfish floats in the water.
el cangrejo	los cangrejos	the crab	the crabs	El cangrejo camina de lado.	The crab walks sideways.
la langosta	las langostas	the lobster	the lobsters	La langosta es un marisco caro.	The lobster is an expensive seafood.
la estrella de mar	las estrellas de mar	the starfish	the starfish	La estrella de mar tiene cinco brazos.	The starfish has five arms.

Sea Plants

Sea plants include algae and other organisms that live in the ocean. They are mostly feminine nouns.

Spanish Singular	Spanish Plural	English Singular	English Plural	Spanish Example	English Example
la alga	las algas	the algae	the algae	Las algas crecen en las rocas.	Algae grow on the rocks.
el sargazo	—	the sargassum	—	El sargazo flota en el mar Caribe.	Sargassum floats in the Caribbean Sea.
la planta marina	las plantas marinas	the sea plant	the sea plants	Hay muchas plantas marinas en el fondo.	There are many sea plants on the seabed.
el pasto marino	—	the seagrass	—	El pasto marino es alimento para manatíes.	Seagrass is food for manatees.
la roca marina	las rocas marinas	the sea rock	the sea rocks	Las rocas marinas tienen pequeños animales.	Sea rocks have small animals.

Ocean and Habitat Terms

These words help you describe the ocean environment and where sea life lives.

Spanish Singular	Spanish Plural	English Singular	English Plural	Spanish Example	English Example
el océano	los océanos	the ocean	the oceans	El océano Pacífico es muy grande.	The Pacific Ocean is very large.
el mar	los mares	the sea	the seas	El mar Mediterráneo es salado.	the Mediterranean Sea is salty.
la costa	las costas	the coast	the coasts	Vamos a la costa a nadar.	We’re going to the coast to swim.
la playa	las playas	the beach	the beaches	La playa tiene arena blanca.	The beach has white sand.
el arrecife	los arrecifes	the reef	the reefs	El arrecife de coral es colorido.	The coral reef is colorful.
la marea	las mareas	the tide	the tides	La marea alta cubre las rocas.	The high tide covers the rocks.
el fondo marino	—	the seabed	—	El fondo marino está lleno de vida.	The seabed is full of life.

Other Useful Sea Life Words

These additional words are useful for talking about sea life in general.

Spanish Singular	Spanish Plural	English Singular	English Plural	Spanish Example	English Example
el marisco	los mariscos	the shellfish	the shellfish	Me gusta el marisco fresco.	I like fresh shellfish.
el buzo	los buzos	the diver	the divers	El buzo explora el arrecife.	The diver explores the reef.
la concha	las conchas	the shell	the shells	Encontré una concha en la playa.	I found a shell on the beach.
la perla	las perlas	the pearl	the pearls	La perla está dentro de la ostra.	The pearl is inside the oyster.
la ola	las olas	the wave	the waves	Las olas son grandes hoy.	The waves are big today.

Sea life vocabulary in Spanish includes a wide range of animals, plants, and environmental terms. With these words, you can describe the ocean and its inhabitants more fully.

I like fresh shellfish.

Me gusta los mariscos fresca.

Me gusta el marisco fresco.

Me gusta la marisco fresca.

Me gustan los mariscos frescos.

Me gusta el marisco fresco.

“Marisco” is masculine singular, so it takes the article “el.” The adjective “fresco” agrees in gender and number with “marisco.” The verb structure “Me gusta” + singular noun is correct.

Flashcards (1 of 32)

English Singular: the fish
English Plural: the fish
English Example: The fish swims in the aquarium.

Last updated: Wed Jun 18, 2025