Nature / Weather Word Dictionary
The nature and weather section starts with everyday sky and weather words like sun, moon, and rain, then expands into large-scale natural events like earthquakes, tsunamis, and volcanic eruptions as the stages go up. It goes from small talk about the weather to the vocabulary needed to follow news about natural disasters. This page organises the words from TentenQuiz's learning data by stage, in one glossary. You can see the exact words and definitions that appear in the quiz, so it is useful for skimming before you play or reviewing words you have already learned.
Each stage has 25 words, starting with easier words in Stage 1 and moving to slightly more advanced expressions as the number increases. The small text under a word is a reading aid for your learning language.
Stage 1
sol—sun
The bright star that gives Earth light and heat.
luna—moon
The round natural object seen in the night sky around Earth.
estrella—star
A distant point of light seen in the night sky.
cielo—sky
The open space seen above the ground.
nube—cloud
A visible mass of tiny water drops or ice in the sky.
lluvia—rain
Water drops that fall from clouds.
nieve—snow
Soft white ice crystals that fall from clouds.
viento—wind
Air moving across the ground or through the sky.
montaña—mountain
A very high natural area of land with steep sides.
rÃo—river
A large natural stream of water flowing across land.
mar—sea
A vast area of salt water covering much of Earth.
lago—lake
A large area of water surrounded by land.
bosque—forest
A large area where many trees grow close together.
árbol—tree
A tall plant with a hard trunk and branches.
flor—flower
The colorful part of a plant that often produces seeds.
hierba—grass
A common short green plant with narrow leaves.
suelo—soil
The loose upper layer of ground where plants grow.
piedra—stone
A small hard solid piece naturally found on the ground.
arena—sand
Very small loose grains of rock found on beaches and ground.
isla—island
An area of land completely surrounded by water.
colina—hill
A raised area of land lower and gentler than a mountain.
primavera—spring
The season after winter when weather warms and plants begin growing.
verano—summer
The warmest season of the year.
otoño—autumn
The season after summer when weather cools and many leaves change color.
invierno—winter
The coldest season of the year.
Stage 2
templado—warm
Having a pleasantly mild temperature.
caluroso—hot
Having a high air temperature.
frÃo—cold
Having a low air temperature.
fresco—cool
Slightly cold in a pleasant way.
tranquilo—calm
Having little wind, movement, or disturbance.
agitado—rough
Moving strongly and unevenly, as with wind or waves.
luminoso—bright
Filled with or giving plenty of light.
oscuro—dark
Having little or no light.
profundo—deep
Extending a long way downward or inward.
poco profundo—shallow
Not extending far downward from the surface.
alto—high
Extending far upward from the ground or surrounding area.
bajo—low
Not extending far above the ground or surrounding area.
ancho—wide
Covering a large distance from side to side.
estrecho—narrow
Having only a small distance from side to side.
empinado—steep
Rising or falling at a sharp angle.
plano—flat
Having a level surface without noticeable rises or dips.
húmedo—damp
Containing or covered with noticeable moisture.
hermoso—beautiful
Giving pleasure through natural shape, color, or scenery.
silencioso—quiet
Having very little sound or movement.
refrescante—refreshing
Feeling clean, cool, and pleasant, especially in the air.
limpio—clean
Free from dirt or harmful material.
sucio—dirty
Covered or mixed with dirt or waste.
peligroso—dangerous
Likely to cause harm or injury.
fuerte—strong
Having great force, as with wind, rain, or a current.
débil—weak
Having little force, as with wind, rain, or a current.
Stage 3
brillar—shine
To give off or reflect bright light.
soplar—blow
To move as wind through the air.
congelarse—freeze
To become solid because of low temperature.
derretirse—melt
To change from a solid into a liquid because of heat.
fluir—flow
To move continuously in one direction like water.
caer—fall
To move downward through the air toward the ground.
crecer—grow
To become larger or more developed over time.
florecer—bloom
To open into a flower.
marchitarse—wither
To become dry, weak, and no longer fresh as a plant.
brotar—sprout
To begin producing a new shoot or leaf.
cambiar—change
To become different from a previous state.
secarse—dry out
To lose moisture and become less wet.
mojarse—get wet
To become covered or filled with water or another liquid.
evaporarse—evaporate
To change from a liquid into a gas and enter the air.
hundirse—sink
To move downward below the surface of water or soft ground.
balancearse—sway
To move gently from side to side.
extenderse—spread
To move or extend over a wider area.
reunirse—gather
To come together in one place.
desaparecer—disappear
To stop being visible or present.
aparecer—appear
To become visible or present.
calentarse—warm up
To become warmer than before.
oscurecerse—darken
To become less bright.
aclararse—brighten
To become lighter or brighter.
desbordarse—overflow
To flow over the edge because there is too much liquid.
agrietarse—crack
To split and form a narrow opening.
Stage 4
rama—branch
A woody part that grows out from the trunk of a tree.
tronco—tree trunk
The thick main stem that supports a tree.
corteza—tree bark
The tough outer covering of a tree trunk and branches.
raÃz—root
The part of a plant that usually grows underground and absorbs water.
hoja—leaf
A flat green part of a plant that receives sunlight.
semilla—seed
A small plant part from which a new plant can grow.
capullo de flor—flower bud
A young unopened flower.
fruto—fruit
The part of a plant that develops from a flower and contains seeds.
espina—thorn
A hard sharp point growing from some plants.
pétalo—petal
One of the soft colored parts around the center of a flower.
musgo—moss
A small soft green plant that grows in damp places.
bambú—bamboo
A tall plant with hollow jointed stems.
pino—pine
An evergreen tree with needle-shaped leaves and cones.
sauce—willow
A tree with long narrow leaves and flexible hanging branches.
arce—maple
A tree whose leaves often turn bright colors in autumn.
cerezo—cherry tree
A tree known for producing pale blossoms in spring.
mala hierba—weed
A wild plant growing where people do not want it.
cultivo—crop
A plant grown by people for food or another useful purpose.
planta—plant
A living thing that usually grows in soil and uses sunlight.
naturaleza—nature
The land, water, air, plants, and animals not made by people.
animal—animal
A living thing that can usually move and feeds on plants or other animals.
insecto—insect
A small animal with six legs and a body divided into three main parts.
ave—bird
An animal with feathers, wings, and a beak.
hábitat—habitat
The natural place where a plant or animal lives.
nido—nest
A structure made or used by an animal for eggs or young.
Stage 5
tiempo—weather
The condition of the air and sky at a particular time and place.
luz solar—sunlight
Light that reaches Earth from the sun.
sombra—shadow
A dark shape formed when light is blocked.
arcoÃris—rainbow
A curved band of colors that can appear in the sky after rain.
niebla—fog
A thick layer of tiny water drops near the ground that makes seeing difficult.
rocÃo—dew
Small drops of water that form on cool surfaces outdoors.
escarcha—frost
A thin white layer of ice crystals that forms on cold surfaces.
hielo—ice
Water that has frozen into a solid form.
tormenta—storm
Severe weather with strong wind and often rain or snow.
trueno—thunder
The loud sound heard after lightning.
relámpago—lightning
A sudden bright flash of electricity in the sky.
llovizna—drizzle
Very light rain made of fine drops.
chubasco—rain shower
Rain that begins suddenly and usually ends soon.
granizo—hail
Small balls or lumps of ice that fall from storm clouds.
tifón—typhoon
A powerful tropical storm with very strong circular winds.
tornado—tornado
A violently rotating column of air extending from a storm cloud.
sequÃa—drought
A long period with too little rain and not enough water.
inundación—flood
A large amount of water covering land that is normally dry.
cielo despejado—clear sky
A sky with little or no cloud and good visibility.
cielo nublado—cloudy sky
A sky covered mostly or completely by clouds.
humedad—humidity
The amount of water vapor in the air.
temperatura del aire—air temperature
The degree of warmth or coldness of the outdoor air.
calor—hot weather
Weather with an uncomfortably high temperature.
tiempo frÃo—cold weather
Weather with an uncomfortably low temperature.
pronóstico del tiempo—weather forecast
A statement about weather expected in the future.
Stage 6
campo—field
A wide open area of land with grass or low plants.
valle—valley
Low land between hills or mountains.
acantilado—cliff
A high steep face of rock or earth.
cueva—cave
A large natural hollow space inside rock or a hillside.
cascada—waterfall
Water dropping from a high place in a river or stream.
manantial—natural spring
A place where water naturally flows out of the ground.
estanque—pond
A small area of still water surrounded by land.
pantano—swamp
Wet soft land covered partly by shallow water.
arroyo—stream
A small narrow flow of water across land.
costa—coast
The land along the edge of the sea.
playa—beach
A sandy or stony area beside the sea or a lake.
ola—wave
A raised moving line of water on the surface of the sea or a lake.
marea—tide
The regular rise and fall of sea level.
desierto—desert
A very dry area with little rain and few plants.
llanura—plain
A large area of mostly flat land.
meseta—plateau
A broad flat area of land at a high elevation.
volcán—volcano
A mountain with an opening through which hot rock and gas can escape.
cañón—canyon
A deep narrow valley with steep sides.
glaciar—glacier
A huge mass of ice that moves slowly over land.
continente—continent
One of Earth's very large continuous areas of land.
Tierra—Earth
The planet where people, animals, and plants live.
tierra firme—land
The solid dry surface of Earth rather than the sea.
horizonte—horizon
The distant line where the land or sea appears to meet the sky.
bahÃa—bay
A curved part of a sea or lake partly surrounded by land.
cabo—cape
A pointed piece of land extending into the sea.
Stage 7
salida del sol—sunrise
The time when the sun first appears above the horizon in the morning.
puesta del sol—sunset
The time when the sun disappears below the horizon in the evening.
alba—dawn
The early time when darkness begins to change into daylight.
crepúsculo—dusk
The evening time when daylight is fading into darkness.
luz de luna—moonlight
Light from the moon seen at night.
luz de las estrellas—starlight
Faint light coming from stars at night.
luna llena—full moon
The moon when its visible face appears completely round.
luna creciente—crescent moon
The moon when only a thin curved part is lit.
constelación—constellation
A recognized shape or group formed by stars in the sky.
estrella fugaz—shooting star
A bright streak seen when a small space rock burns in the sky.
eclipse solar—solar eclipse
An event in which the moon blocks some or all of the sun from view.
eclipse lunar—lunar eclipse
An event in which Earth's shadow darkens the moon.
temporada de lluvias—rainy season
A season when a region receives most of its yearly rain.
calor extremo—extreme heat
A period of dangerously hot weather.
ola de frÃo—cold wave
A period when very cold air moves into an area.
primera nieve—first snow
The first snow to fall in a season or year.
aguacero—downpour
Very heavy rain falling in a short time or over an area.
nevada intensa—heavy snow
A large amount of snow falling strongly or accumulating deeply.
brisa—breeze
A light and gentle wind.
ráfaga—gust
A sudden short burst of strong wind.
copo de nieve—snowflake
A single soft crystal or cluster of crystals falling as snow.
gota de lluvia—raindrop
A single drop of rain.
carámbano—icicle
A pointed hanging piece of ice formed by freezing dripping water.
charco—puddle
A small shallow pool of water collected on the ground.
barro—mud
Soft wet earth formed when soil mixes with water.
Stage 8
espacio exterior—outer space
The vast area beyond Earth's air where stars and planets exist.
planeta—planet
A large round object that travels around a star.
galaxia—galaxy
A huge group of stars, gas, and dust held together in space.
cometa—comet
A small icy object that can form a bright tail near the sun.
asteroide—asteroid
A small rocky object that travels around the sun.
órbita—orbit
The curved path followed by an object moving around another object in space.
satélite artificial—artificial satellite
A human-made object that travels around Earth or another body in space.
atmósfera—atmosphere
The layer of gases surrounding Earth or another planet.
aire—air
The mixture of gases surrounding us that living things use to breathe.
gravedad—gravity
The natural force that pulls objects toward Earth or another body.
roca—rock
A large hard natural mass of stone.
grava—gravel
Small loose pieces of stone covering the ground.
arcilla—clay
Soft earth that becomes sticky when wet and hard when baked.
mineral—mineral
A natural solid substance found in rocks and the ground.
cristal—crystal
A solid with particles arranged in a regular shape.
fósil—fossil
The preserved remains or mark of a living thing from long ago.
concha marina—seashell
The hard outer covering of a shellfish.
coral—coral
A hard branching structure made by tiny sea animals.
arrecife de coral—coral reef
A large underwater formation built mainly from coral.
corriente oceánica—ocean current
A steady flow of seawater moving through the ocean.
agua subterránea—groundwater
Water stored or flowing beneath the ground.
agua dulce—freshwater
Water with very little salt, such as water in rivers and lakes.
agua de mar—seawater
The salty water found in seas and oceans.
vapor de agua—water vapor
Water in the form of an invisible gas in the air.
agua de lluvia—rainwater
Water that falls as rain and collects on the ground or in containers.
Stage 9
mamÃfero—mammal
An animal that feeds its young with milk and usually has hair or fur.
reptil—reptile
A cold-blooded animal with dry scaly skin, such as a snake or lizard.
anfibio—amphibian
An animal that usually lives both in water and on land during its life.
pez—fish
Animals that live in water and breathe mainly through gills.
herbÃvoro—herbivore
An animal that eats mainly plants.
carnÃvoro—carnivore
An animal that eats mainly other animals.
omnÃvoro—omnivore
An animal that eats both plants and other animals.
depredador—predator
An animal that hunts and eats other animals.
presa—prey
An animal hunted and eaten by another animal.
migración animal—animal migration
The regular movement of animals from one region to another.
hibernación—hibernation
A long sleep-like state that helps some animals survive winter.
cadena alimentaria—food chain
A natural order showing which living things eat others.
ecosistema—ecosystem
Living things and their surroundings interacting in one area.
especie en peligro—endangered species
A kind of living thing at risk of disappearing completely.
extinción—extinction
The complete disappearance of a kind of living thing.
adaptación—adaptation
A change or ability that helps a living thing survive in its surroundings.
huella—footprint
A mark left on the ground by a foot or paw.
pluma—feather
One of the light coverings that grow on a bird's body.
ala—wing
A body part used by birds and some other animals for flying.
pico—beak
The hard pointed mouth of a bird.
garra—claw
A sharp curved nail on the foot of an animal or bird.
cuerno—horn
A hard pointed growth on the head of some animals.
cola—tail
The part extending from the rear of an animal's body.
pelaje—fur
The thick soft hair covering the body of some animals.
escama—scale
One of the small hard plates covering fish and some other animals.
Stage 10
desastre natural—natural disaster
A harmful event caused by natural forces.
terremoto—earthquake
A sudden shaking of the ground.
tsunami—tsunami
A series of very large sea waves caused by movement under the ocean.
erupción—eruption
The release of hot rock, ash, and gas from a volcano.
lava—lava
Very hot melted rock that flows from a volcano.
ceniza—ash
Fine gray powder left after something burns.
incendio forestal—wildfire
A large uncontrolled fire burning through natural land.
deslizamiento de tierra—landslide
A large amount of earth and rock suddenly moving down a slope.
avalancha—avalanche
A large mass of snow rushing down a mountain slope.
caÃda de rocas—rockfall
Rock that falls from a cliff or steep slope.
derrumbe—collapse
The sudden breaking and falling down of land or a structure.
alerta—alert
An official notice that a dangerous event may happen or is happening.
evacuación—evacuation
Moving away from a dangerous place to safety.
refugio—shelter
A safe place where people stay during danger or disaster.
rescate—rescue
The act of saving someone from danger.
supervivencia—survival
The state of continuing to live despite danger or difficulty.
daño—damage
Harm caused to people, nature, or property.
medio ambiente—environment
The natural and human surroundings in which living things exist.
contaminación—pollution
Harmful or dirty material added to air, water, or land.
basura—garbage
Unwanted material that people throw away.
aguas residuales—wastewater
Dirty water carried away from homes and buildings.
protección ambiental—environmental protection
The act of protecting the environment from harm.
clima—climate
The usual weather pattern of a place over many years.
cambio climático—climate change
A long-term change in usual weather patterns.
calentamiento global—global warming
The long-term rise in Earth's average temperature.
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