How do you say herbs in Spanish?

Herbs translates to hierbas (YEHR-bahs), sometimes spelled yerbas in informal writing across Latin America.

What is the difference between hierbas and especias?

Hierbas refers to fresh or dried leafy plants like basil and oregano, while especias covers spices such as cumin, pepper, and cinnamon.

Is yerba the same as hierba?

Yerba is an accepted variant spelling of hierba, most famously seen in yerba mate, the traditional South American tea beverage.

Spanish vocabulary · Beginner

How to Say Herbs in Spanish: Hierbas

Written by Sofia Ramirez, Lead Spanish Curriculum Editor · Reviewed May 2026

Hierbas · noun (feminine) · YEHR-bahs

Herbs in Spanish is hierbas, a feminine plural noun referring to aromatic or medicinal plants.

Hierbas is YEHR-bahs, with the h silent and the ie making a yeh sound.

Cocino con hierbas frescas del jardín todos los días.

I cook with fresh herbs from the garden every day.

Herbs in Spanish: Quick Reference

Below are the most common Spanish words for herbs, with pronunciation and regional usage notes.

Spanish	English	Pronunciation	Region / Register
hierbas	herbs	YEHR-bahs	Default, widely understood
yerbas	herbs		alternative spelling in some Latin American countries
plantas medicinales	herbs		when referring to medicinal herbs

How Native Speakers Use Hierbas

Real example sentences across three contexts you'll actually run into.

Cooking

Agrega unas hierbas aromáticas al guiso para darle más sabor.

Add some aromatic herbs to the stew to give it more flavor.

Culinary context.

Medicinal use

Mi abuela siempre nos curaba con hierbas medicinales.

My grandmother always healed us with medicinal herbs.

Traditional medicine.

Gardening

Tengo un huerto con albahaca, romero y otras hierbas.

I have a garden with basil, rosemary, and other herbs.

Growing herbs at home.

Avoid These Mistakes When Using Hierbas

Pronouncing the h

Incorrect: Pronouncing hierbas as HEER-bahs

Correct: Pronouncing it as YEHR-bahs

The h is always silent in Spanish; the ie diphthong creates the yeh sound.

Using hierba for spices

Incorrect: La canela es una hierba.

Correct: La canela es una especia.

Herbs (hierbas) are leafy plants; spices (especias) include bark, seeds, and roots like cinnamon.

Lock in Herbs 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 Hierbas used by native speakers

Parrot's short-form videos feature native speakers using hierbas in real situations. Context-based exposure beats flashcards, you hear Cocino con hierbas frescas del jardín todos los días. 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 Herbs in Spanish

How do you say herbs in Spanish?: Herbs translates to hierbas (YEHR-bahs), sometimes spelled yerbas in informal writing across Latin America.
What is the difference between hierbas and especias?: Hierbas refers to fresh or dried leafy plants like basil and oregano, while especias covers spices such as cumin, pepper, and cinnamon.
Is yerba the same as hierba?: Yerba is an accepted variant spelling of hierba, most famously seen in yerba mate, the traditional South American tea beverage.