océano
/oˈθeano/masculine
The Spanish word for ocean is océano.
océano is used to refer to one of the large bodies of water. For example, you can say en el océano to mean 'in the ocean'.
Meaning: one of the large bodies of water (noun)
Is it said differently in some regions?
In some Latin American countries, such as Mexico, océano might be replaced with mar (sea).
How does it change in a sentence?
océano is a masculine noun. It requires the masculine article el (the ocean) and the plural form is los océanos (the oceans).
How do you pronounce it?
/oˈθeano/
Did you know?
- The Latin root ōceanus, which gives us both océano and 'ocean', originally referred specifically to the great river that the ancients believed encircled the entire world.
- Despite being a masculine noun, the related word mar is often used with both el and la depending on the literary context.
- The word océano is used in the phrase océano de dudas to describe a vast and overwhelming amount of uncertainty.
Examples in context
- Puedo oler el océano.I can smell the ocean.This sentence shows how to express the ability to smell the océano.Tatoeba #1793260 by marcelostockle, translation #1792439 by Spamster
- No me gusta el océano.I don't like the ocean.This sentence shows how to express a dislike for the océano.Tatoeba #1546420 by marcelostockle, translation #1121369 by cntrational
- Ese lago parece un océano.That lake looks like an ocean.This sentence uses océano to make a comparison regarding the size of a lake.Tatoeba #3668129 by Seael, translation #1962025 by HououinKyouma
- El océano Atlántico es más frío que el océano Pacífico.The Atlantic Ocean is colder than the Pacific Ocean.
- Vamos a surfear en el océano Pacífico el próximo fin de semana.We are going to surf in the Pacific Ocean next weekend.
- Me encanta nadar en el mar Caribe durante mis vacaciones.I love swimming in the Caribbean Sea during my vacations.
- Quiero visitar el mar de Cortés en mi próximo viaje a México.I want to visit the Gulf of California on my next trip to Mexico.
- 61 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Elena and Javier are looking at a map of the world.
- ElenaMira el océano Pacífico en el mapa.Look at the Pacific Ocean on the map.
- JavierEs el océano más grande del mundo.It is the largest ocean in the world.
- ElenaQuiero nadar en ese océano algún día.I want to swim in that ocean one day.
- JavierYo también, Elena.Me too, Elena.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “ocean” translations and entries océano, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries océano, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
