{"id":41738,"date":"2026-04-22T10:06:50","date_gmt":"2026-04-22T08:06:50","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.ihmadrid.com\/?p=41738"},"modified":"2026-04-20T10:07:16","modified_gmt":"2026-04-20T08:07:16","slug":"compound-words-in-spanish","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.ihmadrid.com\/en\/blog\/compound-words-in-spanish.html","title":{"rendered":"Compound words in Spanish"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">One of the most enjoyable elements of learning Spanish is when you begin to notice patterns, as can be the case with compound words. <\/span><b>A compound word is simply a word made by joining two or more smaller words together, to create a more specific or even an entirely new meaning.<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> In Spanish, compound words are very common and very useful, as they can quickly expand your vocabulary.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">A couple of common examples of compound words in Spanish are \u201csacapuntas\u201d, which means \u201cpencil sharpener\u201d, or \u201cparaguas\u201d, which means \u201cumbrella\u201d, and you may even have heard of and used these before without quite realising that they were constructed from two shorter words.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><b>In this guide, we\u2019ll explore in greater detail the exact definitions, types, structures and rules of compound words in Spanish, so that you can confidently add these to your everyday vocabulary.<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> If you want to level up your Spanish even more, we\u2019ll also outline where you can sign up for online or in-person Spanish classes with IH Madrid.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><b>What are compound words in Spanish?<\/b><\/h2>\n<p><b>So, what is a compound word? Well, put simply, a compound word is a single word which is formed by combining two or more words that work together to create a new meaning.<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> This is particularly prevalent in Spanish, where the combinations typically follow logical and simple patterns, making them easier to understand than they might seem at first.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">You might also be wondering what a compound sentence is. That is when a sentence contains two or more clauses joined by conjunctions, such as \u201cand\u201d or \u201cbecause\u201d. However,<\/span><b> it&#8217;s important not to confuse compound sentences with compound words<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, and in this blog post we\u2019ll focus on explaining all there is to know about compound words in Spanish.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Let\u2019s already look at a few examples of compound words, to focus in on this topic:\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">paraguas = para (to stop) + aguas (waters) = umbrella<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">lavaplatos = lava (washes) + platos (plates) = dishwasher<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">rascacielos = rasca (scrapes) + cielos (skies) = skyscraper<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2><b>Types of compound words in Spanish<\/b><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">There are a few different groups of compound words in Spanish, depending on how they are formed and written. These are the three main categories to be aware of, along with some examples of each.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><b>Closed compound words<\/b><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">These are the most common type, where the words are written together as one single unit and they function as a single word in pronunciation and spelling. Examples include:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">sacacorchos = saca (takes out) + corchos (corks) = corkscrew<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">parabrisas = para (stops) + brisas (breezes) = windscreen<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3><b>Hyphenated compound words<\/b><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Some Spanish compound words are connected with a hyphen, especially in more formal or technical contexts. Although they may be less common in casual and day-to-day vocabulary, they are very useful in academic or descriptive language. Examples include:\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">te\u00f3rico-pr\u00e1ctico = te\u00f3rico (theoretical) + pr\u00e1ctico (practical) = theoretical-practical<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">hist\u00f3rico-art\u00edstico = hist\u00f3rico (historical) + art\u00edstico (artistic) = historical-artistic<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3><b>Open compound expressions<\/b><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Sometimes, the elements remain separate but they still function as a fixed expression. Although they are written as separate words, they behave like a single concept. Examples include:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">fin de semana = fin (end) + de (of) + semana (week) = weekend<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">ojo de buey = ojo (eye) + de (of) + buey (ox) = porthole \/ bull\u2019s-eye<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2><b>How compound words are formed in Spanish: Structures and rules<\/b><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Compound words in Spanish follow clear patterns, so once you learn the structures and rules you\u2019ll be able to recognise these words and use them much more easily.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><b> Verb + Noun<\/b><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Here, a verb describes the function or purpose of something before the noun tells you what it acts on.<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">abrelatas = abre (opens) + latas (cans) = can opener<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3><b>Noun + Noun<\/b><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Here, two nouns combine to create a new and even more specific concept.<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">telara\u00f1a = tela (web) + ara\u00f1a (spider) = spiderweb<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3><b>Adjective + Noun\u00a0<\/b><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Here, an adjective comes before a noun to build a descriptive relationship, where one element modifies the other.<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">altavoz = alto (high\/loud) + voz (voice) = loudspeaker<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3><b>Noun + Adjective<\/b><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Here, a noun is followed by an adjective that describes a key characteristic or quality of a person or thing.<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">pelirrojo = pelo (hair) + rojo (red) = red-haired person<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3><b>Verb + Verb<\/b><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Here, two actions are merged together, although this combination isn\u2019t as common as the others.<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">subibaja = sube (goes up) + baja (goes down) = see-saw<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<table>\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Structure<\/span><\/td>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Rule<\/span><\/td>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Example<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Verb + Noun<\/span><\/td>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Verb shows function and noun shows object<\/span><\/td>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">abrelatas = can opener<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Noun + Noun<\/span><\/td>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Two nouns combine into one concept<\/span><\/td>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">telara\u00f1a = spiderweb<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Adjective + Noun<\/span><\/td>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Adjective adds a defining quality to the noun<\/span><\/td>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">altavoz = loudspeaker<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Noun + Adjective<\/span><\/td>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Adjective describes a key trait of the noun<\/span><\/td>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">pelirrojo = red-haired<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Verb + Verb<\/span><\/td>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Two actions combined (less common)<\/span><\/td>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">subibaja = see-saw<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<h3><b>Plural rules<\/b><\/h3>\n<p><b>Another interesting feature is that compound words don\u2019t always change in the plural. For example, you would say \u201cel paraguas\u201d in the singular and also \u201clos paraguas\u201d in the plural. <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The reason for this is that the second element is already in a plural form, even though the overall meaning can be singular. Because of this, the word is treated as invariable. This is especially common in verb + noun compounds, where the noun keeps its plural ending regardless of number.<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><b>The most common compound words in Spanish<\/b><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Now that we\u2019ve seen how compound words in Spanish work and how the different structures come together, with several examples, let\u2019s put some of the examples from above together in a handy list with other frequently used compound words:\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">abrelatas = can opener\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">altavoz = loudspeaker\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">cumplea\u00f1os = birthday<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">lavaplatos = dishwasher\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">parabrisas = windscreen\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">paraguas = umbrella\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">pasatiempo = hobby<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">pelirrojo = red-haired person\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">rascacielos = skyscraper\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">rompecabezas = puzzle<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">sacacorchos = corkscrew\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">sacapuntas = pencil sharpener<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u00a0telara\u00f1a = spiderweb<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2><b>Final thoughts on compound words in Spanish<\/b><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Compound words are a powerful tool for building up your Spanish vocabulary. By understanding how words combine, you can guess meanings, remember vocabulary more easily and sound more natural when speaking.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">If you\u2019d like to practise these structures in real conversations, it\u2019s worth looking into some classes with IH Madrid. You can explore <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.ihmadrid.com\/en\/spanish\/online\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">online Spanish courses<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> or <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.ihmadrid.com\/en\/spanish\/courses\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Spanish courses in Madrid<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, depending on your needs. The online classes are live sessions with a teacher, not pre-recorded lessons, so they provide an excellent opportunity to interact, to ask questions and to practise speaking in real time. As for the in-person lessons, these take place in the heart of Madrid, a city where you\u2019ll also have the opportunity to use your new skills in the real world. Before long, you\u2019ll be putting all these words together so naturally that Spanish will feel less like a \u201crompecabezas\u201d and more like second nature!<\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>One of the most enjoyable elements of learning Spanish is when you begin to notice patterns, as can be the case with compound words. A compound word is simply a word made by joining two or more smaller words together, to create a more specific or even an entirely new meaning. In Spanish, compound words [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1080,"featured_media":41739,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":"","_links_to":"","_links_to_target":""},"categories":[761,973,583,904,122],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-41738","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-learn-spanish-in-madrid","category-spanish-courses-in-madrid","category-spanish-programs","category-spanish-school-madrid","category-uncategorized"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.ihmadrid.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/41738","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.ihmadrid.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.ihmadrid.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.ihmadrid.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1080"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.ihmadrid.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=41738"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/www.ihmadrid.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/41738\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":41742,"href":"https:\/\/www.ihmadrid.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/41738\/revisions\/41742"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.ihmadrid.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/41739"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.ihmadrid.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=41738"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.ihmadrid.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=41738"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.ihmadrid.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=41738"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}