Spanish vocabulary · Beginner
Gorilla in Spanish: Gorila
Gorila · noun · goh-REE-lah
Gorila is the Spanish word for gorilla, the large great ape native to the forests of central Africa. Note it has only one l in Spanish.
goh-REE-lah
El gorila es el primate más grande del mundo.
The gorilla is the largest primate in the world.
How Native Speakers Use Gorila
Real example sentences across three contexts you'll actually run into.
Zoo visit
Los niños quedaron fascinados con el gorila del zoológico.
The children were fascinated by the gorilla at the zoo.
A family outing to see animals.
Documentary
Los gorilas de montaña están en peligro de extinción.
Mountain gorillas are endangered.
Discussing wildlife conservation.
Figurative use
Ese tipo es fuerte como un gorila.
That guy is strong like a gorilla.
Using an animal comparison colloquially.
Avoid These Mistakes When Using Gorila
Double-l spelling
Incorrect: Vimos una gorilla en el zoológico.
Correct: Vimos un gorila en el zoológico.
Spanish uses only one l — gorila, not gorilla. Also, gorila is masculine, so use un, not una.
Gender confusion
Incorrect: La gorila macho pesa 200 kilos.
Correct: El gorila macho pesa 200 kilos.
Gorila is typically masculine regardless of the animal's sex — use el gorila for the general term.
Lock in Gorilla Vocabulary with the Parrot Method
Why word lists alone don't stick
Memorizing a translation feels productive, but most learners forget 70% of what they studied within 48 hours. Vocabulary needs spaced repetition AND real-world exposure to transfer to long-term memory.
See Gorila used by native speakers
Parrot's short-form videos feature native speakers using gorila in real situations. Context-based exposure beats flashcards, you hear El gorila es el primate más grande del mundo. while watching someone live the moment, connecting meaning, sound, and rhythm at once.
Save, review, repeat, stay consistent
Tap any word to save it. Parrot's spaced-repetition system surfaces it right before you'd forget, no manual flashcard creation. The watch, parrot back, save, review cycle turns recognition into fluency at 2.7x the speed of traditional study.
Common Questions About Gorilla in Spanish
- How do you say 'gorilla' in Spanish?
- The word is gorila with a single l — it is a masculine noun, so you say el gorila.
- Why does Spanish spell gorila with one l?
- Spanish phonetic rules do not use the double-l the same way English does — ll in Spanish makes a y-sound, so gorila is the correct adapted spelling.
- How do you say 'silverback gorilla' in Spanish?
- The term is gorila de espalda plateada, literally meaning gorilla of silver back, which describes the mature male gorilla.