tierra
/ˈtjera/feminine
In Spanish, soil is translated as tierra or suelo.
Meaning: mineral or organic material serving as a natural medium for the growth of land plants (noun)
Ways to say it
| Spanish | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| tierra | /ˈtjera/ | feminine |
| suelo | /ˈswelo/ | masculine |
Both words refer to the mineral or organic material used for plant growth. However, tierra is a polysemous word that can also mean land (as in territory) or the planet Earth. Suelo is often used to refer to the ground or the floor one walks on, in addition to its use as a technical term for soil.
Which one should you use?
tierra is the more common and general term for earth or soil. In contrast, suelo often refers specifically to the ground surface or the physical substrate.
Related words
How does it change in a sentence?
suelo is a masculine noun, whereas tierra is a feminine noun. When using an adjective like fertile, it follows the noun, such as in tierra fértil.
How do you pronounce it?
/ˈtjera/
Did you know?
- The word tierra shares a distant ancestor with the English word 'dry'. It comes from the Proto-Indo-European root *ters- which means 'dry'.
- If you are being too idealistic or impractical, a Spanish speaker might tell you to poner los pies en la tierra. This literally translates to 'put your feet on the soil'.
- In a maritime context, the phrase tierra a la vista is used to mean 'land ho'. It is the standard exclamation used when sailors first spot solid ground after being at sea.
Examples in context
- Aquí la tierra es fértil.The soil here is fertile.This sentence is useful for describing the fertility of the tierra.Tatoeba #1325980 by hayastan, translation #61621 by sundown
- Este es un suelo muy bueno.This is very good soil.This sentence shows how to describe a specific quality of suelo.Tatoeba #10124683 by manufrutos, translation #5196360 by mailohilohi
- La lluvia arrastró el suelo.The rain washed away the soil.This sentence demonstrates the action of rain moving suelo.Tatoeba #1617289 by wallebot, translation #660392 by CK
- El suelo es fundamental para el crecimiento de las plantas.Soil is essential for plant growth.
- El terreno se caracteriza por tener un suelo fértil.The land is known for having fertile soil.
- 14 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Lucía and Javier are working in a community garden.
- Lucía¿Crees que esta tierra es buena para los tomates?Do you think this soil is good for the tomatoes?
- JavierSí, Lucía, es tierra muy rica en nutrientes.Yes, Lucía, it is very nutrient-rich soil.
- LucíaEntonces, vamos a plantar las semillas ahora.Then, let's plant the seeds now.
- JavierPerfecto, yo prepararé los agujeros para ti.Perfect, I will prepare the holes for you.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “soil” translations and entries tierra, suelo, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries suelo, tierra, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
