ballena azul
/baˌʝena aˈθul/feminine
The English phrase "blue whale" is translated into Spanish as ballena azul. Wiktionary also lists rorcual azul.
Meaning: a whale, Balaenoptera musculus (noun)
Ways to say it
| Spanish | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| ballena azul | /baˌʝena aˈθul/ | feminine |
| rorcual azul | /roɾkwal aθul/ (Spain, from spelling rules) /roɾkwal asul/ (Latin America, from spelling rules) |
masculine |
Both ballena azul and rorcual azul refer to the whale species Balaenoptera musculus.
What does it mean word for word?
The word azul means "blue" and it follows the noun it modifies.
Which one should you use?
rorcual azul is used in technical or scientific contexts.
How does it change in a sentence?
ballena azul is a feminine noun phrase and requires feminine articles such as la. In contrast, rorcual azul is a masculine noun phrase and requires masculine articles such as el.
How do you pronounce it?
/baˌʝena aˈθul/
Did you know?
- The scientific term rorcual is an internationalism with a surprisingly Nordic heart. It travels from Old Norse through French to reach Spanish, reflecting the Viking influence on maritime terminology.
- The word ballena was historically used in Spanish to refer to any large marine mammal before modern biological classifications were established.
Examples in context
- La ballena azul es el animal más grande de todos los tiempos.The blue whale is the largest animal of all time.This sentence is useful for describing the scale of the ballena azul in history.Tatoeba #4756638 by DarkHollow, translation #4341128 by Adelpa
- La gran ballena azul es el animal más grande que haya existido.The great blue whale is the largest animal to have ever existed.This sentence is useful for emphasizing the extreme size of the ballena azul.Tatoeba #3518118 by cueyayotl, translation #2942799 by Ylberi
- La ballena azul es el animal más grande del mundo.The blue whale is the largest animal in the world.This sentence is useful for stating that the ballena azul is the largest animal on Earth.Tatoeba #9702037 by Ivanovb, translation #9704087 by DJ_Saidez
- El primer avistamiento de una ballena azul en estas aguas fue registrado en 1995.The first sighting of a blue whale in these waters was recorded in 1995.
- El rorcual azul es el animal más grande que ha existido en la Tierra.The blue whale is the largest animal that has ever existed on Earth.
- 4 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Javier and Elena are looking at a nature documentary on TV.
- JavierMira esa ballena azul en la pantalla.Look at that blue whale on the screen.
- ElenaEs impresionante ver a la ballena azul.It is impressive to see the blue whale.
- Javier¿Crees que la ballena azul es muy lenta?Do you think the blue whale is very slow?
- ElenaSí, la ballena azul se mueve con calma.Yes, the blue whale moves calmly.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “blue whale” translations and entries ballena azul, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- IPA marked “from spelling rules” is derived from standard Spanish spelling, where Wiktionary gives none.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries azul, ballena, rorcual, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
