Spanish Conversation · Level 29
89 words
Spanish word
río
Pronunciation
IPA/ˈrio/
Meaning
- masculine nounriver
Example
¿Dónde está el río más cercano?
Where is the nearest river?
More examples
Los niños juegan en el río durante el verano.
The children play in the river during the summer.
Core concept
A river channel that carries freshwater from higher ground to lower basins.
Common phrases
cruzar el río
cross the river
nadar en el río
swim in the river
a orillas del río
on the banks of the river
Similar words
arroyo: Runs as a small, shallow stream that flows episodically, often only after rain.
riachuelo: Runs as a short, narrow stream commonly found near villages or towns.
afluente: Flows as a tributary that joins and feeds into a larger river.
canal: Conveys water through a human-made narrow channel dug to carry or control water.
Definition in Spanish
Curso natural de agua dulce que forma un cauce y suele desembocar en otro curso de agua, en un lago o en el mar.
Word origin
From Latin rivus 'stream', with regular Romance sound changes and meaning extension producing modern Spanish río for 'river'.
Usage tips
- The noun is masculine (el río) and retains its written accent in the plural (los ríos), so watch for the tilde in plural or derived forms.
Opposites
- marseanoun