Spanish Word of the Day: Luna (moon)

Have you ever wondered what the word for moon is in Spanish? Well, all you have to do is think of the word lunatic in English and you have your answer!

The Spanish for moon is luna. It is a feminine noun whose plural form is lunas. It takes the following definite and indefinite articles:

• la luna = the moon
• las lunas = the moons
• una luna = a moon
• unas lunas = some moons

The word luna in Spanish has its roots in Latin, specifically inherited from lūna, originating from Proto-Italic *louksnā, which, in turn, traces its origins to Proto-Indo-European *lówksneh. It shares linguistic ties with the French word lune and the Italian luna.

When the moon in question refers specifically to the satellite that revolves around the Earth, it is necessary to use a capital L for Luna. Any other moon, such as those that revolve around the other planets in our solar system, takes a lowercase letter l.

The different moon phases (fases de la luna) are known as:

As in English, a honeymoon is known as luna de miel, with miel meaning honey.

And what about moonlight? This word translates as claro de luna, with claro meaning light or bright.

Interestingly, luna has a few less common translations including mirror, window (of a car), and glass window. For example, la luna del coche translates to windshield, whereas la luna de un escaparate is the glass of a shop window.

Let’s wrap up this article by taking a look at a few common Spanish idioms containing luna: