aullar
/auˈʝaɾ/
The English verb howl is translated into Spanish as aullar. Wiktionary also lists guarrear and otilar.
Meaning: to utter a loud, protracted, mournful sound or cry, as dogs and wolves often do (verb)
Ways to say it
| Spanish | IPA |
|---|---|
| aullar | /auˈʝaɾ/ |
| guarrear | /ɡwareaɾ/ (from spelling rules) |
| otilar | /otilaɾ/ (from spelling rules) |
To howl means to utter a loud, protracted, mournful sound or cry, as dogs and wolves often do.
Which one should you use?
The forms guarrear and otilar also appear. The noun aullido specifically refers to the protracted, mournful cry of a dog or a wolf, whereas the nouns alarido and berrido refer to a prolonged cry of distress or anguish.
Related words
How does it change in a sentence?
The noun form of the verb aullar is aullido.
How do you pronounce it?
/auˈʝaɾ/
Did you know?
- The verb guarrear, though appearing in some historical contexts related to noise, is more commonly associated with acting in a 'dirty' or 'vulgar' manner in modern slang.
- The Latin root of aullar is believed to be an imitative root, meaning the word was designed to sound like the noise it describes.
- While aullar is used for animals, the word ulular exists in Spanish but is much rarer, often reserved for poetic or highly formal literary contexts.
Examples in context
- Los perros empezaron a aullar cuando Tom empezó a cantar.The dogs began to howl when Tom started to sing.This sentence shows the use of aullar in the context of dogs reacting to sound.Tatoeba #10197629 by manufrutos, translation #10195137 by sundown
- Escuché a los lobos aullar en la noche.I heard the wolves howl at night.
- La sirena ululó en la noche oscura.The siren howled in the dark night.
- El viento trajo consigo el aullido de los coyotes.The wind brought the howling of the coyotes with it.
- El lobo comenzó a aullar a la luna.The wolf began to howl at the moon.
- Escuchamos a los perros aullar toda la noche.We heard the dogs howling all night.
Example conversation
Javier and Elena are walking their dogs in the park.
- JavierMira, el perro de allá empezó a aullar.Look, the dog over there started to howl.
- ElenaParece que escuchó a otro perro lejos.It seems he heard another dog far away.
- JavierEs un sonido muy triste, ¿verdad?It is a very sad sound, right?
- ElenaSí, Elena piensa que es muy melancólico.Yes, Elena thinks it is very melancholy.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “howl” translations and entries aullar, 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 aullar, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
