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Vocabulary For Easter in Spanish

Of Christian origin, Easter, or Pascua in Spanish, is celebrated by many around the world, including in Spanish-speaking countries. Regardless of religion, however, Easter has evolved into many fun traditions that may be observed by Christians and non-Christians alike. Let's talk about some religious and non-religious Easter customs in the Spanish-speaking world and beyond, along with some Spanish vocabulary to describe them. 

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Holy Week Traditions in Spain and Latin America

Holy Week, or Semana Santa, is an important festive period for many Catholics and other Christians worldwide that commemorates the crucifixion and resurrection of Jesus Cristo (Jesus Christ) and is celebrated with particular fervor in Spain and Latin America. While there are variations among the different countries' festivities, common costumbres (customs) include attending church, the sharing of special foods, the blessing and distribution of palm leaves and days of elaborate procesiones with special floats and statues, as we can hear about and catch a glimpse of in the following clips:

 

más de cincuenta mil personas se visten de nazarenos para desfilar por las calles y para acompañar a las figuras religiosas. 

more than fifty thousand people dress as Nazarenes to parade through the streets and to accompany the religious figures.

Captions 41-44, Raquel Fiestas de España

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Todo esto sin olvidar el sentimiento religioso; la Semana Santa de Málaga es la particular forma de los malagueños de vivir su fe.

All of this without forgetting the religious sentiment; Málaga's Holy Week is the people from Málaga's particular way of living their faith.

Captions 33-35, Málaga Semana Santa

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Now let's look at a list of useful Spanish vocabulary related to some of the days and customs of the Semana Santa season:

 

la Cuaresma: Lent

el Domingo de Ramos: Palm Sunday

el Miércoles de Ceniza: Ash Wednesday

el Miércoles Santo: Spy Wednesday

el Jueves Santo: Maundy Thursday

el Viernes Santo: Good Friday

El Domingo de Pascua/de Resurección/de Gloria: Easter Sunday

El Lunes de Pascua/de Resurección: Easter Monday

bendecir: to bless

los católicos: the Catholics

los cristianos: the Christians

el día de ayuno: the fasting day

las hojas de palmera: the palm leaves 

la iglesia: the church 

la imagen/el paso: the statue

el trono: the float/throne

 

Let's hear a couple of these pronounced:

 

Y el tambor se toca desde Miércoles Santo a las cuatro de la tarde hasta Domingo de Resurrección 

And the drum is played from Holy Wednesday at four o'clock in the afternoon until Easter Sunday

Captions 48-49, Francisco Javier de España Su trabajo y su ciudad en La Mancha

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Easter Vocabulary in Spanish 

Interestingly, many of the non-religious Easter symbols and traditions that are celebrated around the world actually have religious origins. For example, eggs, chickens and rabbits are symbols of fertility, rebirth and new life that many associate with Jesus' resurrection. However, for many others, these objects and activities are merely fun and festive annual traditions. Let's learn some Spanish vocabulary to describe some of them:

 

la búsqueda/la caza de huevos de Pascua: the Easter egg hunt

la cesta de Pascua: the Easter basket 

el chocolate: the chocolate 

el conejo de Pascua: the Easter Bunny

el cordero: the lamb

las flores: the flowers 

el huevo de Pascua: the Easter egg

el pollito: the chick 

la primavera: the spring 

el sombrero de primavera: the Easter bonnet

teñir/pintar huevos: to dye/color eggs

 

We can hear many of these together in Yabla's video on basic Easter vocabulary, some captions from which we can hear below:

 

Cinco, caza del huevo de Pascua. 

Five, Easter egg hunt.

Caption 9, Vocabulario básico Feliz Pascua

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Uno, el conejo de Pascua.

One, the Easter Bunny.

Caption 5, Vocabulario básico Feliz Pascua

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Dos, la cesta de Pascua.

Two, the Easter basket.

Caption 6, Vocabulario básico Feliz Pascua

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To conclude this lesson, it would be behoove us to know how to wish someone a "Happy Easter" in Spanish:

 

"Felices fiestas" o "Felices Pascuas". 

"Happy Holidays" or "Happy Easter."

Caption 13, Aprendiendo con Silvia Felicitar y expresar buenos deseos - Part 2

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With this in mind, we hope that you have enjoyed this lesson on Spanish vocabulary for Easter... and don't forget to write us with your questions or comments!

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