Spanish · Nature, Animals & Weather

"Lion" in Spanish: león

el león

Say it: leh-OHNmasculine · el leónnoun/leˈon/

A lion is el león (leh-OHN). It is masculine: un león, los leones. A lioness is la leona.

At the zoo

El león duerme bajo el sol.
The lion sleeps under the sun.
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How to pronounce león

Say it

leh-OHN

/leˈon/

leh-OHN. Stress OHN. Write the accent on ó. Say león in two beats.

"Lion" in Spanish: quick reference

SpanishEnglish
el leónthe lion

Male or generic lion.

la leonathe lioness

Female lion.

los leonesthe lions

Plural.

el rugido del leónthe lion's roar

Zoo and nature talk.

How to use león in real life

  1. 1At the zoo

    El león duerme bajo el sol.

    The lion sleeps under the sun.

    El león as subject.

  2. 2Watching animals

    La leona cuida a sus crías.

    The lioness cares for her cubs.

    Leona is the female.

  3. 3Kids talking

    Mira ese león grande.

    Look at that big lion.

    Ese león points to one.

Mistakes English speakers make with león

Incorrect: La león corre rápido.

Correct: El león corre rápido.

León is masculine. Use el león. Leona is the female.

Incorrect: Vi dos leóns en el zoo.

Correct: Vi dos leones en el zoo.

The plural of león is leones.

Good to know

León needs a written accent. Kids meet el león at zoos across Latin America. Use leona when you mean a female lion.

Try it in a ChatPal conversation

At the zoo big-cat area

  1. ChatPal

    ¿Ves al león allá?

    Do you see the lion over there?

  2. You

    Sí. El león tiene una melena enorme.

    Yes. The lion has a huge mane.

  3. ChatPal

    La leona está más atrás.

    The lioness is farther back.

  4. You

    Qué fuerte se oye.

    How loud it sounds.

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"Lion" in other languages

FAQ

Common questions about "Lion" in Spanish

Is león masculine or feminine?

Masculine: el león. A lioness is la leona.

Does león need an accent?

Yes: león. Plural is leones.

How do you pronounce león?

leh-OHN with stress on OHN.

How do I say lions in the plural?

Los leones.

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