Five senses in Spanish

During your Spanish learning adventure, it is essential that you know how to communicate and express yourself to those around you, and to do this you will need to describe the world around you. The vocabulary you need to do this can be found in the five senses in Spanish.

Interacting with your environment is fundamental to expressing, learning and exploring wherever you go, and all of this is achieved through the 5 senses.

Explore each of the 5 senses in Spanish, how they are expressed, practical examples and useful vocabulary that will help you improve your communication and describe the world around you.

You can read this post also in Spanish.

What are the five senses in Spanish?

First, you need to know what the five senses are in Spanish: la vista (sight), el oído (hearing), el olfato (smell), el tacto (touch) and el gusto (taste). Each one plays a vital role in the life of human beings and, therefore, here you will find a brief explanation of each one of them.

1. La vista (sight)

The first sense you will learn in Spanish is la vista. Sight is the sense that allows us to perceive the world through our eyes. Thanks to it we can watch the sunrise, observe the birds in the sky or contemplate a work of art.

This sense is essential for most daily activities. In addition, sight also helps us identify colors, shapes and movements, making it essential for orientation and nonverbal communication.

Some common verbs used with the sense of sight are: mirar (to look), ver (to see), observar (to observe), parpadear (to blink) or contemplar (to contemplate). Here are some examples where this vocabulary related to the sense of sight is used:

• Me gusta mirar el atardecer desde la playa (I like to watch the sunset from the beach)
• Puedo ver la montaña desde mi apartamento (I can see the mountain from my apartment)
• Nos sentamos en el parque a observar a la gente (We sit in the park watching people)
• Pasé horas contemplando el cuadro de Goya en el museo (I spent hours contemplating Goya's painting in the museum)
• Cuando parpadeé no me podía creer lo que estaba viendo (When I blinked, I couldn't believe my eyes).

2. El oído (hearing)

The second sense is el oído, which allows us to perceive the sounds around us thanks to our ears. Through hearing, we can listen to music, hear people's voices, or distinguish different noises in our environment.

Hearing is crucial for communication, as it allows us to understand spoken language and enjoy music and other pleasurable sounds. Vocabulary related to this sense is: oír (to hear), escuchar (to listen), hablar (to talk or speak), gritar (to scream), exclamar (to cry out), pronunciar (to utter), recitar (to recite), articular (to articulate), ruidos (noises), sonidos (sounds), percibir (to perceive), or cantar (to sing).

Some examples:

• Me encanta escuchar música mientras trabajo (I love to listen to music while I work).
• Puedo oír las olas del mar desde mi ventana (I can hear the ocean waves from my window).
• Hablaba tan alto que le escucharon todos los vecinos gritar (He spoke so loudly that all the neighbors heard him shouting).
• Por la noche es más fácil percibir los sonidos de la naturaleza (At night it is easier to perceive the sounds of nature).
• Oigo cantar a los pájaros desde la ventana de mi habitación (I hear birds singing from my bedroom window).

3. El olfato (smell)

El olfato (smell) is the sense that allows us to identify odors and aromas through the nose. This sense is essential for enjoying food, recognizing places and evoking memories through smells.

Smell is closely related to emotions and memory, as certain aromas can transport us to specific times and places in our past. Verbs and words of this sense are: oler (smell), apestar (to stink), olfatear (sniff), olor (odor), aroma (aroma), perfume (perfume) or estornudar (to sneeze).

Here are some examples:

• Puedo oler el aroma del café recién hecho desde la cocina (I can smell the aroma of freshly brewed coffee from the kitchen).
• Al entrar en la panadería, pude oler el pan recién horneado (As I entered the bakery, I could smell the freshly baked bread).
• La bolsa de basura apestaba a pescado después de la cena de ayer (The garbage bag reeked of fish after yesterday's dinner).
• El olfato de un perro puede detectar olores a mucha distancia (A dog's sense of smell can detect odors from a great distance).
• Con la alergia en primavera, no paro de estornudar cada minuto (With allergies in spring, I sneeze every minute).

4. El gusto (taste)

On the other hand, el gusto (taste) allows us to enjoy flavors through the tongue. This sense, like smell, is essential for appreciating food and drink, as it is one of life's simplest and most universal pleasures.

In addition, the sense of taste also alerts us to spoiled or dangerous food, which is essential for our survival. Some useful words for this sense are: saborear (to savor), probar (to try or taste), degustar (to taste), comer (to eat), beber (to drink), lamer (to lick) or sabor (flavor).

Practical examples with the sense of taste:

• Me encanta saborear el chocolate amargo (I love to taste bitter chocolate).
• Voy a probar las zamburiñas por primera vez (I'm going to try scallops for the first time).
• El sabor de la tarta de zanahoria es uno de mis favoritos (The taste of carrot cake is one of my favorites).
• Me gusta beber agua cuando estoy comiendo en casa (I like to drink water when I'm eating at home).
• En la cata de vinos, aprendimos a degustar diferentes tipos de vino tinto y blanco (At the wine tasting, we learned how to taste different types of red and white wine).

5. El tacto (touch)

Finally, el tacto. Touch is the sense that allows us to experience texture or temperature through the skin. Thanks to touch, we can feel hot, cold, we can touch a soft object or experience the coolness of water.

The sense of touch is essential for interacting with our environment and for experiencing physical contact. These words are perfect for the latter sense: tocar (to touch), sentir or palpar (to feel), rozar (to brush or stroke), acariciar (to caress), piel (skin) or escalofrío (shiver).

Some examples with the sense of touch:

• Me gusta acariciar la seda porque es muy suave (I like to caress silk because it is very soft).
• No debes tocar la estufa caliente porque tiene una temperatura abrasadora (You shouldn't touch the hot stove because it has a scorching temperature).
• Puedo sentir el frío del hielo en mis manos cada vez que hago una bola de nieve (I can feel the coldness of ice on my hands every time I make a snowball).
• El médico palpó el abdomen del paciente para saber dónde le dolía (The doctor felt the patient's abdomen to find out where it hurt).

The 5 senses in Spanish allow us to interact with the world, enrich our language and are essential for communication with any other being. Learning Spanish in Spain to expand your vocabulary will help you describe your experiences more vividly and accurately when speaking with native speakers, your Spanish teachers or your classmates.