Spanish word

ría

Pronunciation

IPA/ˈria/

Meaning

  • feminine nouninlet

Example

La ría está cerca de aquí.

The inlet is near here.

Illustration for ría (inlet)

More examples

Fuimos a pasear por la ría al atardecer.

We went for a stroll along the inlet at dusk.

Core concept

Elongated coastal inlet formed by a flooded river valley.

Common phrases

  • pasear por la ría

    stroll along the inlet

  • la ría costera

    coastal inlet

Similar words

bahía: Relatively wide bay that opens broadly to the sea, often sheltered and suitable for anchorage.
golfo: Large bay that extends far inland and covers a broad area along the coast.
ensenada: Small inlet or cove that cuts into the shoreline, typically narrow and sheltered.

Definition in Spanish

Entrada del mar en la costa formada por la sumersión de un valle fluvial; tramo costero alargado y profundo conectado al océano.

Word origin

Derives from Galician and Portuguese ría, which in turn comes from Latin rivus 'stream', used for river valleys inundated by the sea.

Usage tips

  • Ría contrasts with río: ría denotes the coastal, seawater-filled valley, while río denotes the flowing river, so the two words are not interchangeable in geographic descriptions.

Other meanings

  • river mouthnoun

Word lists with this word