alma
/ˈalma/
alma is the Spanish word for soul.
The Spanish word alma means soul.
How do you pronounce it?
/ˈalma/
Did you know?
- The word alma shares a common ancestor with the English word 'animal'. Both come from the Latin root meaning 'breath' or 'spirit', as animals were defined by the fact that they breathe.
- In certain Spanish idioms, calling someone an alma de cántaro implies they are incredibly naive or gullible, rather than spiritually pure.
- Even though alma is a feminine noun, it uses the masculine article el in the singular form to avoid a clashing sound between the 'a' and the 'l'. You would say el alma instead of la alma.
Examples in context
- Janis y Alma dicen que tuvieron que hablar en alto sorabo.Janis and Alma say that they had to speak Upper Sorbian.Tatoeba #10078902 by manufrutos, translation #8543744 by shekitten
- Ella tiene un alma muy noble.She has a very noble soul.
- La música llega hasta el alma.The music reaches the soul.
Example conversation
Elena and Mateo are discussing a moving piece of art.
- ElenaEsta pintura tiene mucha alma, ¿no crees?This painting has a lot of soul, don't you think?
- MateoSí, Elena. Se siente una emoción muy profunda.Yes, Elena. You can feel a very deep emotion.
- ElenaParece que el artista puso su alma en ella.It seems the artist put his soul into it.
- MateoDefinitivamente, es una obra maravillosa.Definitely, it is a wonderful work.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry alma, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
