Spanish vocabulary · Beginner
How to Say Poem in Spanish
Poema · noun · poh-EH-mah
The Spanish word for poem is 'poema,' a masculine noun despite ending in 'a.' This is one of those tricky Spanish nouns of Greek origin (like 'problema,' 'tema,' 'sistema') that are masculine despite their feminine-looking ending. 'Poesía' refers to poetry as an art form or can mean a single poem in informal usage.
Pronounced poh-EH-mah with stress on the second syllable. Three clear syllables with no silent letters.
Escribí un poema para el cumpleaños de mi madre.
I wrote a poem for my mother's birthday.
Poem in Spanish: Quick Reference
Below are the most common Spanish words for poem, with pronunciation and regional usage notes.
| Spanish | English | Pronunciation | Region / Register |
|---|---|---|---|
| poema | poem | poh-EH-mah | Default, widely understood |
| verso | poem | verse/line of poetry | |
| poesía | poem | poetry (the art form) |
How Native Speakers Use Poema
Real example sentences across three contexts you'll actually run into.
School assignment
La maestra nos pidió que memorizáramos un poema de Neruda.
The teacher asked us to memorize a poem by Neruda.
Common school context using 'memorizar' and referencing Chilean poet Pablo Neruda.
Romantic gesture
Le dedicó un poema de amor que escribió durante su ausencia.
He dedicated a love poem to her that he wrote during her absence.
Romantic context with 'dedicar' (to dedicate) and 'poema de amor' (love poem).
Literary discussion
Este poema tiene una métrica perfecta y rimas consonantes.
This poem has perfect meter and consonant rhymes.
Academic discussion using literary terms 'métrica' (meter) and 'rimas' (rhymes).
Avoid These Mistakes When Using Poema
Wrong gender
Incorrect: La poema que leíste es hermosa.
Correct: El poema que leíste es hermoso.
Despite ending in '-a,' 'poema' is masculine (el poema). This is because it comes from Greek 'poiema.' Adjectives must also be masculine: 'hermoso' not 'hermosa.'
Confusing 'poema' with 'poesía'
Incorrect: Escribió una poesía corta. (when meaning one specific poem)
Correct: Escribió un poema corto.
While 'poesía' can informally mean a poem, it more accurately refers to poetry as a genre or art form. For a specific individual poem, 'poema' is more precise.
Lock in Poem 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 Poema used by native speakers
Parrot's short-form videos feature native speakers using poema in real situations. Context-based exposure beats flashcards, you hear Escribí un poema para el cumpleaños de mi madre. 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 Poem in Spanish
- Why is 'poema' masculine if it ends in 'a'?
- The word 'poema' belongs to a group of Spanish nouns derived from Greek that retain masculine gender despite ending in '-a' — other members of this group include 'problema,' 'tema,' 'sistema,' 'dilema,' and 'programa,' all of which take masculine articles and adjectives.
- What's the difference between 'poema' and 'poesía'?
- A 'poema' is one specific poem (a countable composition), while 'poesía' refers to poetry as a literary genre, the art of writing poems, or loosely to a single poem in casual speech — think of it as 'poem' versus 'poetry' in English.
- How do I say 'poet' in Spanish?
- A poet is called 'poeta' in Spanish (el/la poeta), which is another Greek-origin word — traditionally 'poetisa' was used for female poets, but modern usage prefers the gender-neutral 'poeta' for all genders, with only the article changing.