cañón
/kaˈɲon/masculine
The English word "canyon" is translated into Spanish as cañón. Wiktionary also lists barranca.
Meaning: a valley cut in rock by a river (noun)
Ways to say it
| Spanish | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| cañón | /kaˈɲon/ | masculine |
| barranca | /baˈranka/ | feminine |
A canyon is a valley cut into rock by a river. In Spanish, you use cañón to refer to these large geological formations.
Which one should you use?
While cañón refers to a large, geological canyon, barranca is often used to describe a smaller, steeper ravine or a deep gorge.
Is it said differently in some regions?
Barranca is more common in colloquial speech in many Latin American countries.
How does it change in a sentence?
The plural form of the masculine noun cañón is cañones.
How do you pronounce it?
/kaˈɲon/
Did you know?
- Because of its shared root with 'pipe' or 'tube', the word cañón is also the standard Spanish word for a 'cannon' used in warfare.
- The word cañón is built from caño, which means 'tube' or 'pipe', and an augmentative suffix. It literally describes a 'big tube' in the landscape.
- In some Latin American countries, barranca is used metaphorically to describe a precarious or dangerous situation.
Examples in context
- ¿Conoce usted el cañón del Colorado?Have you seen the Grand Canyon?This sentence is useful for asking if someone knows the Grand Canyon using the form cañón.Tatoeba #2258249 by hayastan, translation #2258248 by _undertoad
- El camino a través del cañón parece empinado.The path through the canyon seems steep.This sentence is useful for describing a steep path through a canyon using the form cañón.Tatoeba #1129980 by cueyayotl, translation #1128782 by cntrational
- El guía nos condujo a través del barranco emocionante y vertiginoso.The guide led us through the thrilling and dizzying canyon.
- Vimos un cañón muy profundo durante el viaje.We saw a very deep canyon during the trip.
Example conversation
Javier and María are looking at a landscape photo.
- Javier¿Qué es ese lugar en la foto?What is that place in the photo?
- MaríaEs un cañón espectacular en el norte.It is a spectacular canyon in the north.
- JavierEl cañón se ve impresionante.The canyon looks impressive.
- MaríaSí, me gustaría visitarlo algún día.Yes, I would like to visit it someday.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “canyon” translations and entries cañón, barranca, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries cañón, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
