laguna
/laˈɡuna/feminine
The English word 'lagoon' can be translated into Spanish as laguna. Wiktionary also lists estero and albufera.
Meaning: shallow body of water (noun)
Ways to say it
| Spanish | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| laguna | /laˈɡuna/ | feminine |
| estero | /esˈteɾo/ | |
| albufera | /albuˈfeɾa/ | feminine |
| cocha | /kot͡ʃa/ (from spelling rules) | feminine |
All these terms describe a shallow body of water.
Which one should you use?
While laguna is a general term for a lagoon, estero specifically refers to a lagoon or wetland that is often brackish or part of an estuary system. The term albufera is used specifically for a coastal lagoon separated from the sea by a sandbar.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In parts of the Andes (such as Peru, Bolivia and Ecuador), the word cocha is frequently used to refer to a lagoon or lake, derived from Quechua.
How does it change in a sentence?
The noun laguna is feminine and requires feminine articles like la or una. The plural of laguna is lagunas. Lagunilla is a diminutive form of laguna.
How do you pronounce it?
/laˈɡuna/
Did you know?
- In many Spanish-speaking regions, laguna is used to describe a 'blank' or a lapse in memory, such as a 'mental lagoon'.
- The English word 'lacuna', meaning a gap or missing part, is a direct cognate of the Spanish laguna.
- The word cocha is actually a loanword from Quechua, the language of the Inca Empire.
Examples in context
- Encontramos una hermosa laguna azul en la zona más alejada de la isla.We found a beautiful, blue lagoon on the far side of the island.This sentence shows how to describe the location of a laguna.Tatoeba #672123 by Shishir, translation #671678 by darinmex
- La laguna es muy profunda.The lagoon is very deep.This sentence provides an example of describing a property of a laguna.Tatoeba #1221744 by nancy, translation #1225242 by CK
- El hotel se encuentra junto a una hermosa laguna azul.The hotel is located next to a beautiful blue lagoon.
- Vamos a pasar el día en la lagunilla del parque.Let's spend the day at the park's small lagoon.
- Hay una laguna pequeña cerca del bosque.There is a small lagoon near the forest.
Example conversation
Daniel and Lucía are looking at a map of a nature reserve.
- DanielMira, hay una laguna aquí.Look, there is a lagoon here.
- Lucía¿Podemos nadar en la laguna, Daniel?Can we swim in the lagoon, Daniel?
- DanielCreo que está prohibido nadar.I think swimming is prohibited.
- LucíaQué lástima, se ve muy tranquila.What a shame, it looks very calm.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “lagoon” translations and entries laguna, estero, albufera, 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 albufera, estero, laguna, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
