lana
/ˈlana/
The Spanish word lana refers to the English phrase wool, specifically the thick, curly hair that grows on sheep.
In some contexts, particularly when referring to people's names, a diminutive form can be used.
How do you pronounce it?
/ˈlana/
Did you know?
- In certain Mexican slang contexts, the word lana is used to mean 'money', much like how an English speaker might use 'dough' or 'bread'.
- The Spanish lana is a distant relative of the English word 'wool' through their shared Proto-Indo-European root *h₂welh₁-.
- While the word lana is common in Mexico to mean 'money', using it to refer to wealth in other Spanish-speaking countries might leave people wondering why you are talking about sheep.
Examples in context
- Lana Turner era una hermosa rubia.Lana Turner was a beautiful blonde.This sentence uses lana to refer to a person's name.Tatoeba #9973673 by carlosalberto, translation #9973669 by carlosalberto
- ¡Buenos días, Lana! ¿Cómo puedo ayudarle hoy?Good morning, Lana! How can I help you today?
- La lana es muy suave.The wool is very soft.
- Necesitamos mucha lana para el suéter.We need a lot of wool for the sweater.
Example conversation
Alejandro and Sofía are looking at a handmade blanket.
- AlejandroMe gusta mucho esta manta.I really like this blanket.
- SofíaEs muy suave porque es de lana.It is very soft because it is made of wool.
- Alejandro¿Es lana natural?Is it natural wool?
- SofíaSí, es lana de oveja.Yes, it is sheep's wool.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry lana, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries lana, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
