foca
/ˈfoka/feminine
The English word seal (the animal) is translated into Spanish as foca. Wiktionary also lists lobo marino and lobo del mar.
Meaning: pinniped (noun)
Ways to say it
| Spanish | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| foca | /ˈfoka/ | feminine |
| lobo marino | /ˌlobo maˈɾino/ | masculine |
| lobo del mar | /lobo del maɾ/ (from spelling rules) | masculine |
The primary term for the animal is the feminine noun foca. This refers generally to the pinnipeds. If you are referring to the action of closing something securely or fastening something so that it cannot be opened without visible damage, you would use different verbs such as sellar, hermetizar, precintar or lacrar.
What does it mean word for word?
The term lobo marino literally translates to "sea wolf".
Which one should you use?
While foca is the general term for a seal, lobo marino is often used specifically to refer to sea lions or fur seals.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In some parts of Mexico, foca might be replaced with lobo marino.
Related words
How does it change in a sentence?
The plural of the feminine noun foca is focas.
How do you pronounce it?
/ˈfoka/
Did you know?
- The word foca is an ancient borrowing that traces its lineage back to the Ancient Greek word φώκη (phōkē).
- The term lobo marino follows a pattern of naming sea creatures after land predators, similar to how English uses 'sea lion'.
- While foca is feminine, the term lobo marino uses the masculine noun lobo, creating a gender shift depending on the species named.
Examples in context
- La orca atrapó a una foca.The orca caught a seal.This sentence shows the use of foca in the context of a predator and prey.Tatoeba #10493979 by Seael, translation #12250823 by opalandwoof
- Había una foca en la costa.There was a seal on the shore.This sentence uses foca to describe a location.Tatoeba #11841669 by Seael, translation #851969 by marloncori
- La foca es un animal de las regiones polares.The seal is an animal from the polar region.This sentence uses foca to describe an animal's habitat.Tatoeba #1976129 by Shishir, translation #12253226 by opalandwoof
- Las focas son mamíferos marinos muy inteligentesSeals are highly intelligent marine mammals
- ¡Mira esa focita tan juguetona!Look at that playful little seal!
- El lobito de mar saltó del aguaThe little sea wolf jumped out of the water
- El zoológico tiene una gran variedad de focasThe zoo has a wide variety of seals
- ¡Mira cómo juega la focita en el acuario!Look at how the little seal plays in the aquarium!
- Mi hija adora al lobito de mar que vimos en la playaMy daughter adores the little sea wolf we saw at the beach
- 4 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Daniel and Elena are walking along a beach in the morning.
- Daniel¡Elena, mira hacia allá!Elena, look over there!
- Elena¡Es una foca en la roca!It is a seal on the rock!
- DanielEs muy bonita la foca.The seal is very pretty.
- ElenaSí, Daniel, es increíble.Yes, Daniel, it is incredible.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “seal” translations and entries foca, lobo marino, lobo del mar, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- IPA marked “from spelling rules” is derived from standard Spanish spelling, where Wiktionary gives none.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries del, foca, lobo, mar, marino, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
