aroma
/aˈɾoma/feminine
The English phrase "aroma" is translated into Spanish as aroma.
aroma refers to a pleasant or fragrant smell. You can use the expression Desprender un aroma to say that something emits or releases an aroma, or Tener un buen aroma to say that something has a good aroma.
Meaning: a pleasant or fragrant smell (noun)
How does it change in a sentence?
The plural form of aroma is aromas. Although the word ends in "a", it is a masculine noun in Spanish.
How do you pronounce it?
/aˈɾoma/
What mistakes should you avoid?
English speakers often mistakenly treat aroma as a feminine noun because it ends in "a", but you should treat it as a masculine noun.
Did you know?
- In Spanish, while aroma is strictly pleasant, the word olor is neutral. To describe a bad smell, speakers avoid aroma entirely and use mal olor or hedor.
- Despite the common rule that nouns ending in a are feminine, aroma is masculine because it is a Greek loanword. Other Greek-derived words like problema and sistema follow this same counterintuitive pattern.
- The word aroma originally had nothing to do with the smell itself, but rather the physical spices used for seasoning. It stems from the Greek word ἄρωμα, which meant 'seasoning' or 'spices'.
Examples in context
- El aroma de las flores es embriagador.The aroma of the flowers is intoxicating.
- ¡Qué rico olor tiene tu casa!What a wonderful smell your house has!
- La ropa sucia tiene un fétido aroma.Dirty laundry has a foul aroma.
- Hay un tufo extraño saliendo del baño.There's a strange smell coming from the bathroom.
- Este café tiene un buen aroma.This coffee has a good aroma.
- Las rosas desprenden un aroma dulce.Roses emit a sweet aroma.
- El aroma del café es delicioso.The aroma of the coffee is delicious.
- Me encanta el aroma de estas flores.I love the aroma of these flowers.
- El aroma del café recién hecho es increíble.The aroma of freshly brewed coffee is incredible.
Example conversation
Mateo and Lucía are in a bakery.
- MateoHuele muy bien aquí.It smells very good in here.
- LucíaSí, el aroma del pan recién horneado es increíble.Yes, the aroma of the freshly baked bread is incredible.
- Mateo¿Qué quieres comprar, Lucía?What do you want to buy, Lucía?
- LucíaQuiero un croissant, por favor.I want a croissant, please.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “aroma” translations and entries aroma, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries aroma, CC BY-SA 4.0.
