How to Say "Reef" in Spanish - How To Say Guide

arrecife

/areˈθife/masculine

The English word reef is arrecife in Spanish.

arrecife refers to rocks at or near the surface of the water. To say specifically "coral reef", use the phrase arrecife de coral.

Meaning: rocks at or near surface of the water (noun)

Is it said differently in some regions?

In both Spain and Latin America, Arrecife de coral is the most common term used.

/areˈθife/

The Spanish word arrecife shares a common ancestor with the Arabic word raṣīf, which originally referred to a 'pavement' or a 'sidewalk'.
The Portuguese city name 'Recife' is a linguistic relative of the Spanish arrecife, both stemming from the same Arabic root describing a 'paved' or 'solid' surface.
In Spanish, arrecife can describe both biological structures like coral and geological formations made of volcanic rock.

El arrecife de coral es la atracción principal de la región.
The coral reef is the region's prime attraction.
This sentence shows how to use arrecife when talking about a coral reef being an attraction.
Tatoeba #1781696 by Shishir, translation #954341 by CK
El arrecife de coral es un ecosistema marino muy frágil y diverso.
The coral reef is a very fragile and diverse marine ecosystem.
El banco de coral que rodea la isla es de vital importancia para la biodiversidad local.
The coral reef surrounding the island is of vital importance for local biodiversity.
Los buzos exploraron el arrecife coralino durante horas.
The divers explored the coral reef for hours.
Vimos un arrecife desde el barco.
We saw a reef from the boat.
El arrecife está cerca de la costa.
The reef is near the coast.

Sofía and Daniel are snorkeling in the ocean.

Sources

Wiktionary, “reef” translations and entries arrecife, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
Word origins: Wiktionary entries arrecife, CC BY-SA 4.0.
Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.

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