río
/ˈrio/masculine
The Spanish word for river is río.
río is a masculine noun used to describe a large stream which drains a landmass. In formal discussions, you may encounter more specific terms such as afluentes for tributaries or cauce when referring specifically to the riverbed or the channel where the water flows.
Meaning: large stream which drains a landmass (noun)
Is it said differently in some regions?
In Mexico and parts of Central America, cañada is used to describe a river or a ravine. In Argentina and Uruguay, riacho is used to mean a small river. In parts of Spain, particularly Andalusia, acequia can refer to a natural river or a man-made irrigation canal.
How does it change in a sentence?
The plural form of río is ríos.
How do you pronounce it?
/ˈrio/
Did you know?
- In Spanish, the word río can also be used as a first-person present conjugation of the verb reír, meaning 'I laugh'.
- Spanish speakers distinguish between río and arroyo, where the latter often describes a seasonal stream that may dry up completely.
- The word río descends from the Classical Latin word rīvus, which originally meant a 'brook' or 'small stream' rather than a massive river.
Examples in context
- ¿Es ese un río?Is this a river?This sentence shows how to ask if a specific body of water is a río.Tatoeba #2171043 by marcelostockle, translation #56259 by CK
- Nadé en el río.I swam in the river.This sentence is useful for describing the action of swimming in a río.Tatoeba #3715918 by Seael, translation #2250450 by CK
- El río es amplio.The river is wide.This sentence is useful for describing the physical characteristics of a río.Tatoeba #1353056 by marcelostockle, translation #45748 by CK
- El Amazonas es el río más largo del mundoThe Amazon is the longest river in the world
- Los afluentes del Río de la Plata son numerososThe tributaries of the Río de la Plata are numerous
- El cauce del río se desbordóThe riverbed overflowed
- Hagamos un picnic a orillas del río chiquitoLet's have a picnic by the little river
- 380 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Daniel and Lucía are walking in a park near a waterway.
- DanielMira, Lucía, ese río es hermoso.Look, Lucía, that river is beautiful.
- LucíaSí, Daniel, es muy tranquilo.Yes, Daniel, it is very peaceful.
- Daniel¿Quieres caminar junto al río?Do you want to walk beside the river?
- LucíaClaro, me encanta este lugar.Sure, I love this place.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “river” translations and entries río, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries río, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
