selva tropical
/selba tɾopikal/from spelling rules
The English phrase "tropical rainforest" is translated into Spanish as selva tropical.
In Spanish, the word selva is specifically used for dense, tropical jungles or rainforests, whereas a general word for forest is bosque.
Meaning: forest (noun)
Is it said differently in some regions?
In Central America, Bosque tropical is used interchangeably with selva tropical. In Spain and some Latin American countries, Selva húmeda is occasionally used to refer specifically to a wet tropical rainforest.
How does it change in a sentence?
To make the phrase plural, both the noun and the adjective must take the plural suffix -s, resulting in selvas tropicales.
Did you know?
- The word selva is often used in Spanish to describe a 'jungle' of any kind, including a chaotic or overgrown urban area or a confusing bureaucratic process.
- Because selva comes from the Latin 'silva', it is a linguistic cousin to the English word 'sylvan', which relates to woods or forests.
- While selva tropical refers to the ecosystem, the term la selva is often used as a shorthand for the Amazon rainforest specifically.
Examples in context
- El Amazonas es conocido por su impresionante selva tropical.The Amazon is known for its impressive tropical rainforest.
- El bosque lluvioso de Costa Rica es una hermosa selva tropical.The rainforest of Costa Rica is a beautiful tropical rainforest.
- La selva amazónica es uno de los sitios más sorprendentes del mundo.The Amazon rainforest is one of the most breathtaking places in the world.
- Me encantaría explorar la selva virgen de Borneo.I would love to explore the untouched rainforest of Borneo.
- La selva tropical es vital para el clima.The tropical rainforest is vital for the climate.
- La selva tropical es muy húmeda.The tropical rainforest is very humid.
- Hay muchas especies en la selva tropical.There are many species in the tropical rainforest.
- Visitaremos una selva tropical este verano.We will visit a tropical rainforest this summer.
Example conversation
María and Daniel are discussing a documentary they saw.
- María¿Te gustó el documental sobre la selva tropical?Did you like the documentary about the tropical rainforest?
- DanielSí, la selva tropical es impresionante.Yes, the tropical rainforest is impressive.
- MaríaDaniel, ¿quieres ir de viaje allí?Daniel, do you want to travel there?
- DanielMe encantaría ver la selva tropical en persona.I would love to see the tropical rainforest in person.
Sources
- IPA marked “from spelling rules” is derived from standard Spanish spelling, where Wiktionary gives none.
