hortensia
/oɾˈtensja/feminine
The English word 'hydrangea' is hortensia in Spanish.
The term hortensia refers to the flowering shrub known as a hydrangea.
Meaning: shrub (noun)
How does it change in a sentence?
The noun is feminine, so it is preceded by the feminine article la (e.g., la hortensia). To refer to multiple hydrangeas, use the plural form hortensias.
How do you pronounce it?
/oɾˈtensja/
Did you know?
- The name hortensia is not derived from a botanical root, but is actually a person's name. It honors Hortense de Beauharnais, a French figure from the Napoleonic era.
- In Spain, hortensias are deeply linked to the rainy landscape of Galicia and the Atlantic coast, where they serve as botanical symbols of these humid regions.
- The English word 'hydrangea' comes from Greek roots meaning 'water vessel', but the Spanish hortensia completely replaces this logic with a proper name.
Examples in context
- Las hortensias son plantas preciosasHydrangeas are beautiful plants
- La hortensia es de color azul.The hydrangea is blue.
- Compré una hortensia para el jardín.I bought a hydrangea for the garden.
- Esa hortensia tiene flores muy grandes.That hydrangea has very large flowers.
Example conversation
María and Daniel are looking at the flowers in their garden.
- María¿Te gusta esa hortensia, Daniel?Do you like that hydrangea, Daniel?
- DanielSí, es una hortensia muy bonita.Yes, it is a very beautiful hydrangea.
- MaríaLa plantaremos junto a la cerca.We will plant it next to the fence.
- DanielMe parece una buena idea.That sounds like a good idea to me.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “hydrangea” translations and entries hortensia, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries hortensia, CC BY-SA 4.0.
