Exploring the Five Senses in Spanish
Get our free email course, Shortcut to Conversational.
Have conversations faster, understand people when they speak fast, and other tested tips to learn faster.
More infoOur senses play a crucial role in our daily experiences, allowing us to perceive the world around us in multifaceted ways. From observing a breathtaking landscape to savoring the flavors of our favorite foods, each sense connects us differently with our environment, so knowing how to talk about the five senses in Spanish will give you the tools to better describe such sensations and stimuli.
With this in mind, today we bring you a complete vocabulary guide with all the vocab you need to know for talking about the five senses in Spanish!
Los sentidos – The Senses
The word for senses in Spanish is los sentidos. Although some may say that there are plenty of different senses, the general consensus is that humans just have 5 sentidos: sight, smell, touch, taste, and hearing.
We’ll spend the rest of this post explaining each of these five senses in Spanish. We’ll include relevant related vocabulary, like the relevant body parts, verbs, and adjectives used to describe the stimuli perceived by each of them.
So without further ado, let’s get started with each of the 5 senses in Spanish!
La vista – Sight
In Spanish, the sense of sight is encapsulated by the feminine word vista. This sense allows us to perceive the world through our eyes, or los ojos in Spanish, taking in the beauty and wonders that surround us. With la vista, we can perceive colors, shapes, and physical characteristics.
Let’s see the key verbs related to the sense of sight in Spanish.
| Spanish | English |
| Ver | To see |
| Mirar | To look |
| Observar | To watch |
El olfato – Smell
The sense of smell in Spanish is known as el olfato in Spanish, and is intimately connected with the nose, or la nariz in Spanish.
Here are the main verbs we use for talking about the sense of smell in Spanish.
| Spanish | English |
| Oler | To smell |
| Olfatear | To sniff |
| Husmear | To sniff |
Now let’s see some of the most useful adjectives used to describe smells in Spanish.
| Spanish | English |
| Aromático/a | Aromatic |
| Agradable | Pleasant |
| Dulce | Sweet |
| Floral | Floral |
| Apestoso/a | Stinky |
| Asqueroso/a | Disgusting |
| Desagradable | Unpleasant |
| Maloliente | Smelly |
| Rancio/a | Rancid, Stale |
While we’re talking about smelling in Spanish, you may also be interested in learning common flower names in Spanish.
El tacto – Touch
The sense of touch in Spanish is represented by the masculine noun tacto in Spanish. We feel touch through la piel, which is skin in Spanish, and often by las manos, which are hands, and los dedos, which are fingers.
Let’s take a look at some verbs related with the sense of touch in Spanish.
| Spanish | English |
| Tocar | To touch |
| Rozar | To brush, To stroke |
| Acariciar | To caress |
| Palpar | To feel |
When describing textures or surfaces sensed by touch in Spanish, here are some of the most common adjectives.
| Spanish | English |
| Áspero/a | Rough |
| Duro/a | Hard |
| Suave | Smooth |
| Pegajoso/a | Sticky |
| Frío/a | Cold |
| Caliente | Hot |
| Tibio/a | Warm |
El gusto – Taste
El gusto embodies the sense of taste in Spanish. The tongue in Spanish is la lengua, while the sense of taste is perceived through the tongue’s taste buds or las papilas gustativas in Spanish. This sense helps us perceive flavors or sabores in Spanish.
These are some verbs commonly used when talking about taste in Spanish.
| Spanish | English |
| Comer | To eat |
| Beber | To drink |
| Degustar | To taste |
| Probar | To try |
| Saborear | To savor |
| Lamer | To lick |
Now let’s take a look at some adjectives used to describe flavors.
| Spanish | English |
| Delicioso/a | Delicious |
| Dulce | Sweet |
| Salado/a | Salty |
| Agrio/a | Sour |
| Amargo/a | Bitter |
| Picante | Spicy |
Since the sense of taste is intimately linked to eating and drinking, we can also recommend our other related posts on foods in Spanish, Spanish kitchen vocab, ordering food in Spanish, ordering coffee in Spanish, beer in Spanish, typical Hispanic dishes, and Spanish table etiquette.
El oído – Hearing
The sense of hearing is referred to as el oído in Spanish. Keep in mind that the general word oído in Spanish can be translated as ear, inner ear, and the sense of hearing. The basic word for the ear in Spanish is la oreja.
These are the verbs most commonly associated with our hearing sense in Spanish.
| Spanish | English |
| Oír | To hear |
| Escuchar | To listen |
| Hablar | To speak, To talk |
| Gritar | To scream |
| Exclamar | To cry out |
| Pronunciar | To utter |
| Recitar | To recite |
| Articular | To articulate |
Let’s take a look at some adjectives used to describe sounds in Spanish.
| Spanish | English |
| Agudo/a | Sharp |
| Bajo/a | Low |
| Fuerte, Alto/a | Loud |
| Ruidoso/a | Noisy |
| Relajante | Relaxing |
| Melodioso/a | Melodious |
Related to the sense of hearing, you may also be interested in our posts on music terms in Spanish and on how to say shut up in Spanish.
Conclusion: Senses in Spanish
Great! Now that we’ve completed our lesson on the senses in Spanish, you’re ready to talk about all the things you can see, smell, touch, taste, and hear in Spanish.
Today we learned the names of the five senses in Spanish: la vista, el olfato, el tacto, el gusto, and el oído. For this overview of the five senses in Spanish, we included the body parts related to each sense, relevant adjectives, as well as common verbs.
By understanding and using this vocabulary, you’re now better equipped to express how you interact with the environment around you!
