Learn Spanish from City Names

You already know these words — you just didn't know they were Spanish

The trick: Many US cities (especially in California) have Spanish names. Each name contains real Spanish words with articles (el, la, los, las). If you know the city, you already know the word!
Articles you'll learn
el the (masc. singular)
la the (fem. singular)
los the (masc. plural)
las the (fem. plural)
del of the (de + el)
san/santa saint
EL — masculine singular
🛣
El Camino
/el kah-MEE-no/
El Camino Real — famous road through California
el camino = road, path, way
¿Cuál es el camino a mi casa? — What's the way to my house?
El camino es largo. — The road is long.
⛰
El Monte
/el MON-teh/
City in Los Angeles County
el monte = mountain, hill, woods
Vivo cerca del monte. — I live near the mountain.
🌊
El Paso
/el PAH-so/
Texas — on the border
el paso = the pass, the step
¿Qué pasó? — What happened? (same root: pasar = to pass/happen)
LA — feminine singular
🏝
La Jolla
/la HOY-ya/
San Diego neighborhood
la joya = the jewel (originally "la joya")
Es una joya. — It's a jewel / gem.
🌴
Sierra Nevada
/see-EH-rra neh-VAH-da/
Mountain range in California
la sierra = mountain range (saw-shaped)
nevada = snow-covered (nevar = to snow)
La sierra está nevada. — The mountain range is snow-covered.
LOS — masculine plural
👼
Los Angeles
/los AHN-heh-les/
The City of Angels
los ángeles = the angels
Los ángeles son buenos. — The angels are good. (son = they are, SER!)
🌳
Los Altos
/los AHL-tos/
City in the Bay Area
los altos = the tall ones / the heights
Soy alto. Somos los altos. — I'm tall. We're the tall ones.
💡 Remember from class: alto = tall, bajito = short!
🏞
Los Gatos
/los GAH-tos/
Town near San Jose
los gatos = the cats
Me gustan los gatos. — I like cats. (plural = gustan!)
Tengo dos gatos en mi casa. — I have two cats in my house.
LAS — feminine plural
🎰
Las Vegas
/las VEH-gas/
Nevada
las vegas = the fertile plains / meadows
Las vegas son verdes. — The meadows are green.
💡 las = feminine plural → vega ends in -a → feminine!
DEL — de + el (of the)
🌊
Del Mar
/del MAR/
Beach city near San Diego
del mar = of the sea (de + el = del)
La casa del mar. — The house by the sea.
💡 de + el always contracts to del. Like "la casa de María" but "la casa del profesor"
SAN / SANTA — saints
🍩
San Francisco
/san fran-SEES-ko/
The Bay Area
san Francisco = Saint Francis (masculine name)
💡 san = male saint, santa = female saint. San José, San Diego, San Antonio. Santa = Santa Cruz, Santa Clara, Santa Monica.
✝
Santa Cruz
/SAN-ta KROOS/
Coastal city, Northern California
santa cruz = holy cross
La cruz es grande. — The cross is big.
🌞
Santa Clara
/SAN-ta KLAH-ra/
Heart of Silicon Valley
santa clara = Saint Clare / clear, bright
Es claro. — It's clear.
💡 Remember from class: claro = clear/light! Verde claro = light green. ¿Es claro? = Is it clear?
Bonus — more California words
🌵
Palo Alto
/PAH-lo AHL-to/
Home of Stanford
palo = stick, pole
alto = tall
Palo alto = tall stick/tree. Soy alto = I'm tall.
🏡
Fresno
/FRES-no/
Central Valley
el fresno = ash tree
🏝
Colorado
/ko-lo-RAH-do/
State & river
colorado = red-colored, reddish
El río Colorado. — The red-colored river.
💡 Like rojo (red) from class! Colorado = reddish/ruddy
More cities to learn from
🏡
El Segundo
/el seh-GOON-do/
Near LAX airport
el segundo = the second (2nd)
Es el segundo día de la semana. — It's the second day of the week.
🐸
El Toro
/el TO-ro/
South Orange County
el toro = the bull
El toro es fuerte y grande. — The bull is strong and big.
🏖
Amarillo
/ah-ma-REE-yo/
Texas
amarillo = yellow
Mi color favorito es amarillo. — My favorite color is yellow. (from class 5!)
💡 Named for yellow wildflowers or yellow soil along the creek
🌞
Buena Vista
/BWEH-na VEES-ta/
Multiple places + Disney!
buena = good (feminine)
la vista = view
Buena vista = good view. Hasta la vista = until we see each other (goodbye!)
🐇
Playa Vista
/PLY-ah VEES-ta/
LA neighborhood (Silicon Beach)
la playa = beach
vista = view
Me encanta la playa. — I love the beach. (me encanta from class 6!)
🏖
Costa Mesa
/KOS-ta MEH-sa/
Orange County, CA
la costa = coast
la mesa = table, plateau
Costa mesa = coastal plateau. Vivo en la costa. — I live on the coast.
Famous Streets & Landmarks
🛣
El Camino Real
/el kah-MEE-no reh-AHL/
The Royal Road — runs through all of California
real = royal, real
El camino real es largo. — The royal road is long.
💡 The historic road connecting all 21 California missions
🏖
La Brea
/la BREH-ah/
Famous avenue & tar pits in LA
la brea = tar, pitch
💡 “The La Brea Tar Pits” literally means “The The Tar Tar Pits” — la = the, brea = tar!
🏙
La Cienega Blvd
/la see-EH-neh-ga/
Major boulevard in Los Angeles
la ciénega = swamp, marsh
💡 The area was once marshland before LA was built over it
🏝
Embarcadero
/em-bar-ka-DEH-ro/
San Francisco waterfront
el embarcadero = pier, wharf, boarding place
Estoy en el embarcadero. — I'm at the pier. (ESTAR for location!)
💡 From embarcar = to board a ship. -dero = place where you do something
🏖
Presidio
/preh-SEE-dee-oh/
Historic fort in San Francisco
el presidio = fort, military garrison
El presidio es viejo. — The fort is old. (SER for characteristics!)
🎰
Bonanza Road
/bo-NAN-sa/
Major road in Las Vegas
la bonanza = prosperity, jackpot, big fortune
Tengo una bonanza. Tengo mucho dinero. — I hit a jackpot. I have a lot of money.
🎰
Flamingo Road
/fla-MEEN-go/
Iconic Las Vegas boulevard
el flamenco = flamingo (bird) / flamenco (dance)
Me gusta el flamenco. — I like flamenco. Same root word!
🌴
Paseo de los Gigantes
/pa-SEH-o deh los hee-GAN-tes/
NorCal — Avenue of the Giants (Redwoods)
el paseo = walk, avenue, stroll
los gigantes = the giants
Me fascina el paseo de los gigantes. — I really love the Avenue of the Giants.
🏙
Calle Ocho
/KAH-yeh O-cho/
Famous street in Miami
la calle = street
ocho = eight (8)
Vivo en la calle ocho. — I live on Eighth Street.
💡 calle = street. Now you can say any address! Vivo en la calle cinco.
Quick reference — article patterns
el = the (masc. sing.) → El Camino, El Monte, El Paso, El Segundo, El Toro
la = the (fem. sing.) → La Jolla, La Playa, La Costa
los = the (masc. pl.) → Los Angeles, Los Altos, Los Gatos
las = the (fem. pl.) → Las Vegas
del = de + el (of the) → Del Mar
san/santa = saint → San Francisco, Santa Cruz, Santa Clara

How to spot gender: Words ending in -o are usually masculine (el). Words ending in -a are usually feminine (la). Plurals add -s and use los/las.