en peligro
/en peliɡɾo/from spelling rules
The English phrase 'endangered' is translated into Spanish as en peligro. Wiktionary also lists peligrante and periclitante (disused).
Meaning: in danger, at risk (adj)
Ways to say it
| Spanish | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| en peligro | /en peliɡɾo/ (from spelling rules) | |
| peligrante | /peliɡɾante/ (from spelling rules) | |
| periclitante (disused) | ||
| apeligrado | /apeliɡɾado/ (from spelling rules) | |
| periclitando (disused) | gerund |
en peligro is used to mean 'in danger' or 'at risk'. When referring specifically to biological species, the phrase en peligro de extinción is used to mean 'endangered'.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase en peligro literally translates to 'in danger'.
Which one should you use?
While en peligro means 'in danger', it is the standard way to express 'endangered' in most contexts. In contrast, apeligrado is much less common and often carries a sense of being 'at risk' or 'compromised'.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In Spain, the phrase en vías de extinción can be used as an alternative to en peligro de extinción. In some Latin American countries, the term en peligro crítico is used to express being 'critically endangered'.
How do you pronounce it?
/en peliɡɾo/
Did you know?
- The root of peligro originally had nothing to do with danger, but with 'testing' or 'trying'. This suggests that a dangerous situation was originally viewed as a situation that 'tests' a person's limits.
- The word peligro shares a similar phonetic evolution to the Spanish word for 'miracle', milagro.
- The term apeligrado is rarely used for animals and is more commonly used to describe a person's reputation or a situation that has become compromised.
Examples in context
- Es una especie en peligro de extinción.It is an endangered species.Tatoeba #898401 by Shishir, translation #797152 by U2FS
- Matar elefantes, tigres y otras especies en peligro no solo es cruel, también es ilegal.Murdering elephants, tigers and other endangered species is not just cruel. It's also illegal.Tatoeba #1481186 by marcelostockle, translation #736837 by eastasiastudent
- Todavía no me creo que tuvieran un leopardo blanco en ese zoo, creía que estaban en peligro de extinción.I still can't believe they had a snow leopard in that zoo. I thought they were an endangered species.Tatoeba #1628606 by Shishir, translation #1803809 by Shishir
- La ballena azul está en peligro de extinción.The blue whale is endangered.
- El oso panda está amenazado.The panda bear is endangered.
- La mariposa monarca está en peligro.The Monarch butterfly is endangered.
- El lobo ibérico está en riesgo de extinción.The Iberian wolf is endangered.
- 3 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Elena and Alejandro are visiting a nature preserve.
- ElenaMira ese ave, está en peligro.Look at that bird, it is endangered.
- Alejandro¿Por qué dices que está en peligro?Why do you say it is endangered?
- ElenaPorque quedan muy pocos ejemplares en el mundo.Because there are very few specimens left in the world.
- AlejandroEs triste que haya animales en peligro.It is sad that there are endangered animals.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “endangered” translations and entries en peligro, 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 en, peligro, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
