Spanish vocabulary · Beginner
How to Say Squirrel in Spanish: Ardilla
Ardilla · noun (feminine) · ahr-DEE-yah
Squirrel in Spanish is ardilla, a feminine noun referring to the small, bushy-tailed rodent found in parks and forests. The word is consistent across all Spanish-speaking countries.
Ardilla is pronounced ahr-DEE-yah, with the stress on the second syllable. The ll makes a y-sound in most Latin American dialects and a ly-sound in parts of Spain.
Una ardilla subió corriendo por el tronco del roble.
A squirrel ran up the trunk of the oak tree.
How Native Speakers Use Ardilla
Real example sentences across three contexts you'll actually run into.
Park observation
Las ardillas del parque se acercan a la gente buscando comida.
The squirrels in the park approach people looking for food.
Describing the behavior of urban squirrels.
Nature documentary
La ardilla almacena nueces para el invierno.
The squirrel stores nuts for the winter.
Explaining an animal's survival behavior.
Children's fascination
Mi hija se emocionó al ver una ardilla gris en el jardín.
My daughter got excited seeing a gray squirrel in the garden.
A parent describing their child's reaction to wildlife.
Avoid These Mistakes When Using Ardilla
Using masculine article
Incorrect: El ardilla corrió por el parque.
Correct: La ardilla corrió por el parque.
Ardilla is always feminine regardless of the animal's sex, so it takes la even when referring to a male squirrel.
Inventing a cognate like esquirel
Incorrect: Hay un esquirel en el árbol.
Correct: Hay una ardilla en el árbol.
There is no Spanish word esquirel; ardilla is the only correct term for squirrel.
Lock in Squirrel 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 Ardilla used by native speakers
Parrot's short-form videos feature native speakers using ardilla in real situations. Context-based exposure beats flashcards, you hear Una ardilla subió corriendo por el tronco del roble. 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 Squirrel in Spanish
- How do you say squirrel in Spanish?
- Squirrel is ardilla (ahr-DEE-yah) in Spanish, and the word is the same in every Spanish-speaking country.
- Is ardilla masculine or feminine?
- Ardilla is always feminine, so you say la ardilla and una ardilla regardless of whether the squirrel is male or female.
- What is the plural of ardilla?
- The plural is ardillas, formed by simply adding -s, as in las ardillas del bosque (the squirrels of the forest).