Montañas
Wordform Details
Translation: mountainmountains
Part of Speech: noun
Inflection Type:
femininepluralIs Dictionary Form: No
Dictionary Form Details
Lemma Details
Translation: mountain; mount
Part of Speech: noun
Etymology: From Latin 'montanea', derived from 'mons' (mountain). The English word 'mountain' shares the same Latin root, making them cognates. The Spanish word preserves the Latin 'ñ' sound (from 'nn' in Late Latin), which evolved differently in English. The root 'mont-' appears in many English words like 'montane', 'paramount' (above the mountain), and 'ultramontane'.
Commonality: 90%
Guessability: 80%
Register: neutral
Mnemonics
- Think of 'montaña' as 'mount-añ-a' where the middle part sounds like 'anyo' - imagine climbing a mountain for a year ('año' in Spanish).
- The 'ñ' in montaña can be remembered as representing the peaks of a mountain range.
Related Words, Phrases & Idioms
Synonyms
Example Wordforms
Cultural Context
Mountains hold significant cultural importance in Spanish-speaking countries, from the Andes in South America to the Pyrenees in Spain. Many Spanish-speaking regions have strong mountaineering traditions, and mountains often feature prominently in literature, folklore, and national identity.
Easily Confused With
Explanation: While 'montaña' specifically refers to a large elevation of land (a mountain), 'monte' can refer to a hill, mount, or woodland/forest area. 'Monte' is often used for smaller elevations or wooded areas.
This word:
El Everest es la montaña más alta del mundo.
Everest is the highest mountain in the world.
Confused word:
Fueron a cazar al monte este fin de semana.
They went hunting in the woods this weekend.
Notes: In some regions, 'monte' is used more generally for wilderness or uncultivated land, while 'montaña' always refers specifically to a mountain.
Mnemonic: 'Montaña' has 'ña' at the end, which sounds bigger and more impressive, like a mountain. 'Monte' is shorter, like a hill.
Explanation: 'Montaña' refers to an individual mountain, while 'sierra' refers to a mountain range, especially one with a jagged, saw-like profile (sierra means 'saw' in Spanish).
Confused word:
La sierra Nevada se extiende por varios estados.
The Sierra Nevada extends across several states.
Notes: Sierra Nevada literally means 'snowy mountain range' and appears as a name for mountain ranges in both Spain and the United States.
Mnemonic: Think of 'sierra' as a saw cutting across the landscape, creating a jagged line of mountains.