D is the fourth letter of the alphabet and the third consonant. It is a very frequent letter in the Spanish language.
Quisiera dos entradas para el show de mañana.
I’d like two tickets for tomorrow's show.Este ejercicio es muy difícil.
This exercise is very difficult.
The letter D may appear in initial, middle, or final position in the word:
- Words starting with D: don (gift), danza (dance), descanso (rest).
- Words with D in them: redondo (round), recuerdo (memory), moderno (modern).
- Words ending in D: edad (age), cualidad (feature), ciudad (city).
Pronunciation tip: The Spanish D is pronounced /ð/, as the “th” in “father”. It is an interdental sound, meaning that the tip of the tongue goes between the upper and lower teeth (the teeth actually bite the tongue a little), with air flowing between them.
Unlike the sound of the English letter D, the tongue does not touch the back of the upper teeth, which makes the Spanish /d/ a much softer sound:
Quick tip: The letter D may appear in initial, middle, or final position, and may be followed by any vowel and certain consonants: década (decade), advertencia (warning), calidad (quality).
- See also: Spanish alphabet
Spanish nouns that start with D
| dama lady | despertador alarm clock | documento document |
| daño harm | deuda debt | dólar dollar |
| danza dance | dibujo drawing | dolor pain |
| dato piece of information | diez ten | domingo Sunday |
| delito crime | Dinamarca Denmark | dormitorio bedroom |
| dentífrico toothpaste | dinero money | doble double |
| departamento apartment | disfraz costume | ducha shower |
| desafío challenge | distancia distance | duda doubt |
| desfile parade | diversión fun | dulce candy |
| desierto desert | docena dozen | dúo duet |
Animals starting with D: delfín (dolphin), dromedario (dromedary), dingo (dingo), demonio de Tasmania (Tasmanian devil), dinosaurio (dinosaur).
Foods starting with D: durazno (peach), damasco (apricot), dátil (date), diente de león (dandelion), dulce de leche (caramel spread), dona (donut).
Jobs starting with D: dentista (dentist), doctor (doctor), director (director), docente (teacher), diseñador (designer), diplomático (diplomat), deportista (athlete).
Names starting with D: Dolores, Diana, Daniela, Débora, David, Diego, Dante, Damián.
Compraré una docena de huevos.
I’ll buy a dozen eggs.El nuevo puesto es un gran desafío para mí.
The new position is a big challenge for me.Me doy una ducha todas las mañanas.
I take a shower every morning.¿Vives en casa o departamento?
Do you live in a house or an apartment?
- See also: Spanish nouns
Spanish adjectives that start with D
| diferente different | diminuto tiny | deslumbrante stunning, dazzling |
| difícil difficult | divertido fun, entertaining | dinámico dinamic |
| dulce sweet | distante far | diestro right-handed |
| duro hard | desnudo naked | doloroso painful |
| débil weak | decisivo decisive | delgado thin, slim |
| delicioso delicious | dramático dramatic | despejado clear (sky) |
| despierto awake | desértico deserted | diurno daytime |
| diario daily, everyday | denso dense, thick | descuidado messy, neglected |
| dorado gold, golden | dañino harmful | desagradable disgusting |
| delicado delicate | divino divine, delightful | desesperante exasperating, distressing |
La artista lució deslumbrante en ese vestido.
The artist looked stunning in that dress.La situación económica es desesperante.
The economic situation is distressing.¿El bebé está despierto?
Is the baby awake?Esta comida es desagradable.
This food is disgusting.
Adjectives starting with D to describe a person
| divertido fun | desinteresado unselfish | desconfiado distrustful |
| decidido determined | despreocupado easygoing, carefree | desubicado out of place |
| detallista meticulous | descarado insolent | desordenado disorganized |
| discreto discreet | despistado scatterbrained | deshonesto dishonest |
| desenvuelto self-assured | distraído absent-minded | dominante dominant |
Soy muy distraído; nunca sé dónde dejo las llaves.
I’m very absent-minded; I never know where I leave my keys.Tuvo una vida difícil y se volvió desconfiado.
He had a difficult life and became distrustful.
- See also: Spanish adjectives
Spanish verbs that start with D
| dar to give | desayunar to have breakfast | doblar to fold, bend, turn |
| decir to say | desear to wish | dejar to leave |
| dibujar to draw | descansar to rest | descongelar to defrost |
| dormir to sleep | devolver to give back | descubrir to discover |
| despertar to wake up | despedir to say goodbye | detestar to loathe |
| disfrutar to enjoy | doler to hurt | disculpar to forgive |
| deber to have to, owe | descender to go down | durar to last |
| decidir to decide | detener to stop | derramar to spill |
| dudar to doubt | discutir to argue, discuss | desaparecer to disappear |
| divertirse to have fun | describir to describe | derrotar to defeat |
Necesitas descansar un poco.
You need to rest a little.¿Cuánto dura el viaje de Madrid a Barcelona?
How long is the trip from Madrid to Barcelona?Debo irme.
I have to go.Anoche no dormí bien.
I didn’t sleep well last night.
- See also: Spanish verbs
Spanish adverbs that start with D
| dónde where | democráticamente democratically | decididamente decidedly |
| dentro inside | detalladamente in detail | descuidadamente carelessly |
| debajo underneath, below | dudosamente barely, hardly | desmedidamente excessively |
| despacio slowly | desinteresadamente unselfishly | delicadamente delicately |
| deprisa fast | dulcemente sweetly, softly | despiadadamente mercilessly |
| diariamente every day, daily | debidamente duly | desvergonzadamente shamelessly |
| directamente directly | detenidamente at length, carefully | despectivamente contemptuously |
| desafortunadamente unfortunately | desesperadamente desperately | dichosamente joyfully |
| difícilmente hardly | deliberadamente deliberately | débilmente weakly |
| definitivamente definitely | discretamente discreetly | duramente harshly |
¿De dónde eres?
Where are you from?Debes leer el contrato detenidamente antes de firmarlo.
You must read the contract carefully before signing itDesafortunadamente, el show ha sido cancelado por mal tiempo.
Unfortunately, the show has been canceled due to bad weather.El alcalde fue duramente criticado por sus declaraciones.
The mayor was harshly criticized for his statements.
- See also: Spanish adverbs
More everyday Spanish words that start with D
Some more everyday Spanish words and expressions that start with D include:
de
of, from
desde
from, since
durante
during, for
de nuevo
again
de inmediato
straightaway
de repente
suddenly
de memoria
from memory
de hecho
in fact
de pie
standing
de vez en cuando
every now and then
disculpa
excuse me
¡Dios!
God!, Gosh!
documento de identidad (DNI)
identity card (ID)
damas
checkers
Disculpa, ¿tienes hora?
Excuse me, do you have the time?Sé esa poesía de memoria.
I know that poem from memory.Ellos vivieron en la misma casa durante más de veinte años.
They lived in the same house for over twenty years.¿Me puedes mostrar tu documento de identidad?
Can you show me your identity card?
You may also like:
Practice: Spanish words with D
References
- Wordreference.com, “diente de león,” accessed October 23, 2024, https://www.wordreference.com/
- Oxford Spanish Dictionary, 3rd edition on CD-ROM, Oxford University Press.
- Merriam-Webster Dictionary, accessed October 23, 2024, under “dandelion,” https://www.merriam-webster.com/
- Real Academia Española, Diccionario de la lengua española, under “debajo,” accessed October 24, 2024, https://dle.rae.es/
- Enciclopedia del Lenguaje, “Palabras con D,” by Carla Giani. Last updated March 4, 2024, https://lenguaje.com/
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