236 advanced Spanish vocabulary words to leap to the next level

Do you feel pretty confident in your Spanish-speaking abilities, but still want to add a little oomph to your sentences? These 236 advanced Spanish vocabulary words will make you sound like a Spanish erudite!

Getting to an advanced Spanish level is no small feat, and you should be proud of yourself for even achieving your current level. Perhaps you’ve recently passed an important Spanish test or just signed up for a challenging Spanish-language degree program and are looking to challenge yourself with some smart words. Whatever the case, we’ve got a massive list of 236 advanced vocabulary words in Spanish to help you stand out wherever you go.

However, the Spanish language dictionary has over 150,000 words, making it almost impossible to learn every single one. Add the countless Spanish slang words, and you’re left with an impossibly long list of advanced words. That’s why we’ve broken down our list into ten categories so you can focus your time learning the ones you’re the most interested in.

Ready to get started? ¡Vámonos!

Table of contents

• The power of advanced vocabulary
• Strategies for expanding your Spanish vocabulary
• 236 advanced Spanish vocab terms by category
  1. Emotions and feelings
  2. Intellectual and academic
  3. Descriptive adjectives
  4. Professional and business
  5. Art and culture
  6. Science and technology
  7. Social and political
  8. Literary devices and figures of speech
  9. Environmental
  10. Travel and exploration

The power of advanced vocabulary in Spanish

Even if it’s quite possible to get by without advanced vocabulary for most day-to-day interactions, you should never underestimate the power of incorporating some high-level Spanish words into your vocabulary arsenal.

Here are a few situations where knowing some advanced vocabulary could help you tremendously.

• Communicate professionally. If you tend to travel to Spanish-speaking countries or do business with any Spanish speakers, knowing some advanced vocabulary will help you stand out and earn the respect of your Spanish peers.
• Excel in undergraduate and graduate school. Although learning through an immersive program can be a great way to pick up basic and intermediate skills, earning a full degree in your target language can be a great way to achieve full command of it. To do this, you’ll first need to learn some academic vocabulary.
• Navigate cultural circles. Getting involved in the arts and culture world can be an exciting way to make new friends and delve into new hobbies. However, you’ll need to know what you’re talking about before you can have fruitful conversations with your new pals.
• Bond with Spanish speakers on a deeper level. Native speakers may try to use simple language when dealing with non-native speakers. Using some “big words” will prove your dexterity in Spanish, thus allowing people to put their guard down and speak with you as they would with any other native speaker.

Strategies for practicing and expanding your Spanish vocabulary

You didn’t think we were gonna just throw 236 advanced Spanish vocabulary words at you just like that, did you? Before we jump into this giant list of smart Spanish words, we’ll go over some essential tips that will help you truly internalize these big words.

1. Spaced repetition

Spaced repetition is one of the most effective vocabulary acquisition methods out there. In fact, a study by Iowa State University found that using a spaced-repetition study technique for just three minutes a day improved students’ long-term vocabulary retention rate by 200%. That’s just three minutes per day for such a dramatic improvement!

Spaced repetition consists of reviewing vocabulary words at different intervals depending on how well you know them. For example, you’ll want to review difficult words daily or close to daily, whereas you’ll need to review easier words less and less frequently as you reinforce them in your vocabulary.

Many apps and computer programs today help you keep track of which words you find to be a bit difficult and which ones you’ve got figured out. That way, you’ll only have to worry about reviewing the vocabulary words that the program thinks you need to review that day. These programs are known as Spaced Repetition Software (SRS), with Anki being one of the most popular ones among language learners worldwide.

2. Increase comprehensible input

A more natural way to practice spaced repetition is to simply increase the amount of Spanish you interact with. By improving the comprehensible input you “consume,” you’ll be increasing your chances of running into the helpful vocabulary words you want to learn. While this is usually a great tactic for intermediate Spanish speakers, it can also be a good way to obtain specific advanced vocabulary.

For example, if you want to learn medical Spanish terms or business Spanish terms, you can start by watching medical dramas, reading business books, or simply watching videos on the internet. The point is to increase the amount of time you spend consuming content — whether written or oral — in any area that you wish to increase your fluency in.

3. Quiz yourself

Before you flinch from hearing the dreaded word “quiz,” we’ve got some pretty good reasons for you to incorporate these into your own study routines. A study published in the Asian Journal of Education measured the vocabulary acquisition progress of students learning English as a foreign language with and without regular quizzes. It found that those that used the app Quizlet were able to outperform those who didn’t.

Another study found that low-stakes quizzes help students perform better in midterm and final exams. If you’re skeptical about quizzing yourself because there’s no real oversight or anyone to give you an F if you don’t do a good job, this study shows that just taking the time to quiz yourself can have a significant improvement on your learning.

4. Delve into your hobbies

Acquiring advanced vocabulary usually means that you’ve got a pretty niche understanding of a specific field. For example, lawyers know all kinds of legal jargon because they spend a big part of their waking time thinking and talking about the law. If you have any special hobbies or interests, lean into them!

Even if you think your hobbies aren’t academic in nature, you can still learn plenty of big words by spending more time practicing them. For example, yoga enthusiasts can learn medical and physiological terms as they work through their Asanas. Aviation enthusiasts can learn some fun physics words as they learn more about planes. You’ll never know what fun advanced Spanish words you’ll learn when you go all-in on your interests!

5. Have fun!

Let’s face it — learning advanced vocabulary can sometimes feel like a drag. The best way to ensure that you’re actually sticking to your goals and achieving what you signed up for is to enjoy the process. As simple as that sounds, being able to stick to Spanish for the long run will increase your chances of acquiring high-level Spanish vocabulary much more than attempting to memorize the following massive list.

A few things you can do to have fun in Spanish are:

• Find communities that are interested in the same topics as you
• Travel to Spanish-speaking countries
• Make Spanish-speaking friends
• Visit Spanish-speaking restaurants and businesses

List of 236 advanced Spanish vocab terms by category

Now, without further ado, let’s jump right into this massive list of advanced vocabulary words in Spanish that are sure to impress any native speaker! We’ve broken them up into ten different categories so you can focus on the ones you’re the most interested in.

1. Emotions and feelings vocabulary

Emotions and feelings can be complicated — especially in Spanish. With hundreds of beautiful, complex, and thoughtful words for feelings and emotions in Spanish, you’ll be able to expand your way of expressing how you feel with this new vocabulary. You might even find yourself getting more in tune with your feelings, as there are many words for emotions that don’t exist in English!

2. Intellectual and academic vocabulary

Some of the most ambitious Spanish learners will want to pursue higher education in a Spanish-speaking country. Indeed, with many great universities, getting an undergraduate or graduate degree in Spain or Latin America could be an excellent way to solidify your Spanish skills, earn invaluable skills to create a life for yourself in Spanish, and network. Make sure you know the following words before you start your program!

3. Descriptive adjective vocab

Spanish is a beautifully descriptive language. With hundreds of words that can help us describe everything around us, it’s no surprise that Spanish is consistently regarded as one of the most beautiful languages in the world. If you’d really like to level up your descriptive abilities, make sure to check out our giant list of 153 Spanish adjectives! For now, start by checking out the following advanced adjective vocabulary words.

4. Professional and business terms

Many people choose to study Spanish for business because it’s one of the best languages to learn to do business internationally. Once you’ve got your bases covered, learning how to do business in Spanish is just a matter of picking up some special vocabulary and learning a few skills. For example, you’ll want to learn how to write a letter in Spanish so you can communicate with your new Spanish-speaking colleagues.

5. Art and culture vocabulary

Learning a new language is much more than just memorizing vocabulary words and quizzing yourself. When you learn to speak a foreign language, you also expose yourself to a brand-new culture with its own art and traditions. This can help you grow as you discover exciting and insightful new art and culture as you make your way through all the museums in Spain and Latin America. As a fun fact, did you know that Mexico City is the second city with the most museums in the world?

6. Science and technology terms

Learning about science and technology can be fascinating, no matter the language. Below, you’ll find a list of some of the most fascinating Spanish terms for science and technology. If this list piques your scientific interest, make sure to check out our list of land formations in Spanish for some unique vocabulary about nature and life sciences!

7. Social and political concepts

We live in a society. You know the meme. But there’s much truth to it! No matter where you’re from, you’re used to a specific way of living and a definite set of social relations. As you travel through Spanish-speaking countries, you’ll find that there are many unique forms of social and political organization. Check out the following social and political vocab in Spanish to get a preview of some of the new social and political systems you may get exposed to.

8. Literary devices and figures of speech

Spanish literature is world-renown for being as whimsical as it is thought-provoking. From the international classic Don Quixote by Miguel de Cervantes to other classics by Carlos Ruiz Zafón, Gabriel García Márquez, and Octavio Paz, there are countless incredible works of literature in Spanish. If you’re interested in finding your new favorite author or poet, check out the following Spanish literature vocabulary.

9. Environmental vocabulary

In this day and age, the environment is something that’s on everybody’s mind. If you want to stay informed and have important conversations about climate change, you should familiarize yourself with the following vocabulary. And if you’re a big defender of the environment, you can also check out these weather expressions in Spanish and learn some vocabulary about animals, birds, and flowers!

10. Travel and exploration terms

If traveling and exploring new cultures is your passion, then learning these fun words about traveling can be extremely helpful. Whether you’re getting ready to travel through South America or simply want to explore a Spanish menu, these travel and exploration terms are for you.

We’ll always be adamantly committed to developing your Spanish adroitness

No matter how hard the task at hand, we’ll always help with easy-to-understand Spanish guides — even if you’re going for some of the hardest words in Spanish. And if you feel like it’s taking a little longer than normal to grasp them fully, just refer to our handy tips to learning hard Spanish vocabulary at the top of this article. In no time, you’ll start seeing your vocabulary grow stratospherically!

And if you enjoyed this article, you may want to check out the rest of our Spanish blog for more advanced Spanish grammar and vocabulary topics. Some of our recent posts include the difference between por vs. para, the definitive guide to conjugating tener, and a handy explanation on how to deal with Spanish vowels and diphthongs.