Spanish Word of the Day: Isla (island)

The word for an island in Spanish is isla and it is derived from the classical Latin word insula of the same meaning.

Latin American Pronunciation

European Spanish Pronunciation

It is a feminine noun, so it takes the following definite and indefinite articles:

  • la isla (the island)
  • las islas (the islands)
  • una isla (an island)
  • unas islas (some islands)

Las islas can form in three distinct ways. The first occurs when continental plates (las placas continentales) collide and push land above the ocean’s surface. The second happens when underwater volcanoes (los volcanes) consistently erupt in a specific area, creating land. The third method involves the accumulation of sand (la arena) resulting from erosion.

I want to visit a tropical island.


Spain itself isn’t an island, of course, but it is surrounded by many of them, the most famous being the Balearic Islands (Las Islas Baleares) which are Mallorca, Menorca, and Ibiza.

Spanish is also the most widely spoken language in the Caribbean Islands (las islas del Caribe), including Cuba, the Dominican Republic, and Puerto Rico.

An aerial shot of seascape with island, Hong Kong

The noun isla is closely related to the verb aislar meaning to isolate, which is precisely what an island is – an isolated body of land surrounded by water.

A person who lives on an island can be called an islander or isleño (masculine) / isleña (feminine) in Spanish.

The islander felt isolated on the desert island.


A traffic island in the middle of a road can be known as an isla peatonal in Spanish (or more commonly rotonda), and kitchen island in Spanish is isla de cocina. In architectural term, a block of houses is called una isla de casas.

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About The Author

Heather is a graduate in linguistics from the University of Western Ontario and an aspiring polyglot. Her primary focus lies in the fields of language acquisition, education, and bilingual instruction. When she isn’t studying languages, she enjoys the great outdoors, exercising and spending time with her young son.


Lingopie (affiliate link) is the Netflix of language learning application that uses real TV shows and movies to help you learn a new language. You can choose a show to watch based on your fluency level, and use the interactive subtitles to get instant translations to help you learn quickly. Try it today and skyrocket your Spanish to new heights!


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