41 Spanish Words That Start With Y + Real-Life Examples With Explanations
Y in Spanish is one of the strangest occurrences: it can be a Spanish connector, it can even be a Spanish filler word and it can even stir things up with its pronunciation.
Lucky for you, we have informational blog posts about all of these topics, plus, Spring Spanish (a project I co-founded) made a great video on this complex topic of the differences between LL vs Y in Spanish:
And there are some Spanish words that start with Y – but not too many. Still, we’re going to focus on them in this blog post, so you’re up-to-date with them. And meanwhile, you can learn all the other things about Y in Spanish.
Let’s get to it!
1. Fun facts about the Spanish letter Y
The letter Y is also known as “i griega” in the Spanish alphabet. It’s the 25th letter in the Spanish alphabet and its pronunciation is changing every time you pronounce it!
Okay, that was a joke, but still. Y in Spanish is a really complex topic, and just as you’ve seen it in the video from Spring Spanish (you saw it, right? 🙂 ), it can be used in place of the double LL in some Latin American countries.
Most of the time, y in Spanish is still pronounced like the English ‘ee’ in ‘see’ or ‘y’ in ‘yes’. Let’s explore all the Spanish words that start with Y now!
(Some of these can’t be found in Spanish dictionaries because they are Spanish slang words.)
2. Spanish verbs that start with Y
Verbs are the heartbeat of any language, enabling us to express actions and intentions.
Spanish has some intriguing verbs that kick off with the letter Y.
Check them out below!
| Spanish | English |
|---|---|
| yacer | to lie (down) |
| yodar | to yield |
| yantar | to dine |
| yugular | to jugulate |
| yeguar | to yoke |
| yoyar | to play with a yo-yo |
| yembrar | to intermingle/ to sow |
And here’s how all of this could go down in a conversation:
Fernando: ¿Sabes cómo se puede yacer en un campo tranquilo? (Do you know how to lie down in a quiet field?)
Lucía: ¡Claro! Y también es importante yantar bien después de un día largo. (Of course! And it’s also important to dine well after a long day.)
3. Spanish nouns that start with Y
Spanish nouns are also essential for naming people, places, and things, and the letter Y has its share of interesting nouns that can make your vocabulary better and wider.
Here are some to get you started, complete with their definite articles!
| Spanish | English |
|---|---|
| el yate | the yacht |
| yo | I |
| el yogur | the yogurt |
| la yuca | the cassava |
| la yema | the yolk |
| el yeti | the yeti |
| el yugo | the yoke |
| el yacimiento | the find (in archaeology) |
| la yegua | the mare |
| el yoyó | the yo-yo |
| la yerba | the herb |
| el yaguareté | the jaguar |
| el yacimiento | the site |
| el yogui | the yogi |
| la yunta | the team (of oxen) |
Use them as part of Spanish travel phrase, like this:
Martín: Esa yate es impresionante, ¿verdad? (That yacht is impressive, right?)
Ana: Sí, y no puedo resistir un buen yogur después de nadar. (Yes, and I can’t resist a good yogurt after swimming.)
4. Spanish adjectives that start with Y
Adjectives add color and detail to our Spanish conversations.
Here are some adjectives starting with Y that can help you describe things more vividly.
| Spanish | English |
|---|---|
| yóquero | yogic |
| yertico | youthful |
| yemado | yammy |
| yoso | yoso |
| yoda | like Yoda |
| yonder | yonder |
| yeni | new (in certain dialects) |
Make your easy Spanish sentences more colorful with these words:
Carlos: El estilo yucateco es muy colorido y vibrante. (Yucatecan style is very colorful and vibrant.)
Sara: Sí, y ese yogui tiene un equilibrio increíble. (Yes, and that yogi has incredible balance.)
5. Spanish Adverbs that Start with Y
Adverbs can spice up your sentences by modifying verbs and other adjectives.
Let’s look at a few adverbs that start with Y!
| Spanish | English |
|---|---|
| yonder | yonder |
| yoyos | yo-yos |
| yelapa | yelapa |
| yugulando | yoke-like |
| yacente | lying (down) |
| yucatecamente | Yucatcan-like |
| yerbateramente | herbally |
| yesterdays | from yesterday |
| yurande | in a yurn way |
| yodó | like yodeling |
| yugando | yoking |
| yuncando | uniting |
Pretty strange and new words in the Spanish language, but here we go!
Javier: Mira esos árboles yonder. ¿No son hermosos? (Look at those trees yonder. Aren’t they beautiful?)
Patricia: Sí, pero prefiero los sabores yucatecamente distintos. (Yes, but I prefer the distinctly Yucatecan flavors.)
6. Learn Spanish words that start with Y with Conversation Based Chunking
What’s the buzz about Conversation Based Chunking?
This method emphasizes learning through natural dialogue, and allows you to pick up vocabulary in meaningful contexts.
By embedding words like yacer, yate, and yucateco into conversations, you create a mental framework that makes it easier to recall these terms when speaking or listening. This way, you don’t have to search for the vocabulary lists in your mind or on the net, because you’ll know which word to use based on context.
Practice with Spanish immersion, and Spanish practice exercises on Effortless Conversations: if you sign up to our email list, we’ll send you a FREE Spanish Chunking Starter Pack, and in it, you’ll find an essential Spanish chunking list, other resources to learn Spanish and access to our Full Practice Worksheet Library.
