león marino
/leˌom maˈɾino/masculine
In Spanish, sea lion is león marino. Wiktionary also lists lobo marino.
Meaning: member of the Otariidae family (noun)
Ways to say it
| Spanish | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| león marino | /leˌom maˈɾino/ | masculine |
| lobo marino | /ˌlobo maˈɾino/ | masculine |
The term refers to a member of the Otariidae family.
What does it mean word for word?
The term león marino is a compound of león (lion) and marino (marine/sea).
Which one should you use?
Lobo marino, which literally means 'marine wolf', is a common synonym used to refer to the same animal as león marino.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In Chile, it is common to use the expressions lobos de mar or leones de mar to refer to sea lions. In much of Latin America, lobo marino is a frequent choice.
How does it change in a sentence?
The plural of lobo marino is lobos marinos. To refer to female sea lions, use the feminine form leonas marinas.
How do you pronounce it?
/leˌom maˈɾino/
Did you know?
- In Spanish, the word lobo is a doublet of the proper name Lope, which originates from Basque.
Examples in context
- El león marino es una especie fascinante que habita en las costas de América Latina.The sea lion is a fascinating species that inhabits the coasts of Latin America.
- ¡Mira, hay un lobo marino en la playa!Look, there's a sea lion on the beach!
- En el sur de Chile se pueden observar lobos de mar descansando en las rocas.In southern Chile, you can see sea lions resting on the rocks.
- Vi un león marino en el acuario.I saw a sea lion at the aquarium.
- El león marino nada muy rápido.The sea lion swims very fast.
- Hay un león marino descansando en la roca.There is a sea lion resting on the rock.
Example conversation
Javier and Sofía are visiting a coastal marine park.
- Javier¡Mira, Sofía! Un león marino está durmiendo.Look, Sofía! A sea lion is sleeping.
- SofíaEs muy lindo ese león marino.That sea lion is very cute.
- Javier¿Crees que se despierte pronto?Do you think he will wake up soon?
- SofíaTal vez, si le damos comida.Maybe, if we give him food.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “sea lion” translations and entries león marino, lobo marino, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries león, lobo, marino, CC BY-SA 4.0.
