Spanish vocabulary · Beginner
Island in Spanish: How to Say Isla
Isla · noun (feminine) · EES-lah
Island in Spanish is isla, a feminine noun (la isla). A small island is an islote, and an island group is un archipiélago.
Isla is EES-lah.
Pasamos las vacaciones en una isla tropical.
We spent our vacation on a tropical island.
Island in Spanish: Quick Reference
Below are the most common Spanish words for island, with pronunciation and regional usage notes.
| Spanish | English | Pronunciation | Region / Register |
|---|---|---|---|
| isla | island | EES-lah | Default, widely understood |
| islote | island | small island | |
| archipiélago | island | archipelago (island group) |
How Native Speakers Use Isla
Real example sentences across three contexts you'll actually run into.
On vacation
Pasamos las vacaciones en una isla tropical.
We spent our vacation on a tropical island.
Isla tropical is a common phrase.
Access
La isla solo se alcanza en barco.
The island can only be reached by boat.
Describing remote access.
Island groups
Las Islas Canarias pertenecen a España.
The Canary Islands belong to Spain.
Islas is the plural in names.
Avoid These Mistakes When Using Isla
Confusing isla with península
Incorrect: Calling a peninsula an isla.
Correct: An island is isla; a peninsula is península.
An isla is surrounded by water on all sides, while a península is joined to land on one side, and a tiny island is an islote.
Wrong gender
Incorrect: el isla
Correct: la isla
Isla is feminine (la isla, una isla), and there's no need for el since the stress isn't on the first a.
Lock in Island 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 Isla used by native speakers
Parrot's short-form videos feature native speakers using isla in real situations. Context-based exposure beats flashcards, you hear Pasamos las vacaciones en una isla tropical. 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 Island in Spanish
- How do you say island in Spanish?
- Island in Spanish is isla (EES-lah), a feminine noun, with a small island being an islote and an archipelago un archipiélago.
- How do I name famous island groups?
- Use las Islas plus the name, as in las Islas Canarias or las Islas Galápagos, since Islas is the plural of isla.
- What is a desert island called?
- A desert or uninhabited island is una isla desierta, the phrase used in the classic stranded-on-a-desert-island scenario.