A Complete Vocab Guide to Yoga in Spanish
Have you ever practiced yoga in Spanish?
Amazingly, just 15 minutes of yoga a day can start changing your brain chemistry and improving your mood! Plus, as a Spanish learner, taking a yoga class (in person or online) in Spanish is a great way to practice the language.
The practice of yoga originated in ancient India. Its spiritual, moral, and physical dimensions relate to attaining self-awareness. The word yoga is derived from the Sanskrit word ‘yuj’ which means union; in other words, to join, direct, and concentrate one’s attention.
Yoga works to improve overall health and well-being and heal physical aches and pains by increasing flexibility and muscle strength and inducing relaxation and better body awareness.
Whether you are looking to relax, deepen your spiritual practice, or just get some quality exercise, yoga is beneficial. What’s more, practicing yoga in Spanish is a unique and effective way to improve your vocabulary and listening comprehension skills.
Trying a class in Spanish need not be intimidating because yoga instructors tend to speak in a slow, calm voice. Also, the teachers usually demonstrate the poses. Or, you can look around and see what the other students in the class are doing.
Yoga studios exist in many Latin American cities! If you are a yoga fanatic and a Spanish learner, you could opt to go to Colombia, Costa Rica, or Mexico for a full immersion program to learn a new language while deepening your yoga practice.
But if you’re not ready to take that leap quite yet, a plethora of Spanish yoga classes are readily available on YouTube.
Ready to dive into the world of yoga in Spanish? Grab your colchoneta (yoga mat), and let’s go!
Yoga in Spanish: Breath is Key
Ahhh, take a deep breath. The breath is arguably the key to yoga in any language. In Spanish, many of the words are similar to the English ones.
respirar – to breathe
la respiración – breath
respiro – I breathe
profundo/a – deep
profundamente – deeply
inhalar – to inhale
exhalar – to exhale
Concéntrese en su respiración y movimientos físicos.
Focus on your breath and physical movements.
Siempre que conecte su respiración con sus movimientos, estará haciendo yoga.
As long as you are linking your breath to your movements, you are doing yoga.
Yoga in Spanish: Body Parts
Hatha yoga—the most popular style practiced in the West—involves physical postures, breathing exercises, and meditation.
We stretch and tone the whole body in the practice of hatha yoga. Review the name of commonly stretched body parts below.
head – la cabeza
face – la cara
eyes – los ojos
neck – el cuello
chest – el pecho
heart – el corazón
core, abdomen – el abdomen
back – la espalda
spine – la columna
stomach – el estómago
abs – abdominales
arms – los brazos
shoulders – los hombros
elbows – los codos
wrists – las muñecas
hands – las manos
fingers – los dedos
palms – las palmas
legs – las piernas
hips – las caderas
knees – las rodillas
ankles – los tobillos
heels – los talones
feet – los pies
Yoga in Spanish: Verbs
Here’s a handy list of yoga-related action words. Keep in mind that different teachers use different verb conjugations.
abrir – to open
cerrar – to close
apoyar – to rest, to support
aflojar – to loosen
acostarse – to lie down
relajarse – to relax
flexionar – to flex, to bend
sentir – to feel
mantener – to maintain, to support
girar – to twist, to rotate, to turn
mirar – to look
activar – to activate
saltar – to jump
estirar – to stretch
tocar – to touch
sentarse – to sit
Directional Words
derecho/a – right
izquierdo/a – left
al centro – to the center
delante – forward
enfrente – front
atrás – back
otro lado – other side
arriba – up
abajo – down
lentamente – slowly
rápidamente – fast
Example Sentences
Cierran los ojos.
Close your eyes.
Pon las manos juntos al centro del corazón.
Place the hands together at the heart center.
Acuéstate en la postura del cadáver. Vamos a hacer una relajación final.
Lie down in corpse pose. We’re going to do a final relaxation.
Al practicar yoga, la intención es desafiarte físicamente sin sentirte abrumado.
When practicing yoga, the intention is to challenge yourself physically without feeling overwhelmed.
Yoga in Spanish: 20 Common Yoga Poses
While you may understand every word the teacher says about aligning your chakras or becoming one with the universe, this list is a great start. The practice of yoga is the practice of connecting with ourselves and the world around us.
| Sanskrit – English | Spanish |
| Adho mukha svanasana – Downward facing dog | Perro hacia abajo |
| Savasana – Corpse pose | Postura del cadáver |
| Setu bandha sarvangasana – Bridge Pose | Postura del Puente |
| Marjaryasana – Cat pose | Postura del gato |
| Utkatasana – Chair pose | Postura de la silla |
| Balasana – Child’s pose | Postura del niño |
| Bhujangasana – Cobra pose | Postura de la cobra |
| Garudasana – Eagle pose | Postura del águila |
| Trikonasana – Triangle | El triángulo |
| Utthita parsvakonasana – Extended side angle | Triángulo extendido |
| Ananda balasana – Happy baby pose | La postura del bebé feliz |
| Ardha matsyendrāsana – Half spinal twist | Media torsión sentada |
| Ustrasana – Camel | El camello |
| Tadasana – Mountain pose | La postura de la montaña |
| Baddha konasana – Cobbler’s pose | La postura del zapatero |
| Uttanasana – Forward fold | La pinza de pie |
| Vriksasana – Tree pose | Postura del árbol |
| Virabhadrasana – Warrior pose | Postura del guerrero |
| Prasarita padottanasana – Wide-legged forward bend | La pinza de pie separada |
| Anjaneyasana – Crescent moon | La luna creciente |
For more bilingual pose names, check out 58 Kids Yoga Poses In Spanish!
Example Sentences
Fortalece y estira tu espalda baja en postura de cobra.
Strengthen and stretch your lower back in cobra pose.
El árbol es una gran pose de equilibrio para principiantes.
Tree is a great balancing pose for beginners.
Los árboles se balancean y caen; mantén una sonrisa mientras practicas.
Trees sway and fall; keep a smile as you practice.
Recuerda hacer ambos lados.
Remember to do both sides.
El perro hacia abajo es ideal para los brazos, las piernas y la espalda.
Downward dog is great for the arms, legs and back.
Relájese y refresquese con la postura del niño
Relax and cool down with child’s pose.
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The deeper practice of yoga involves meditation, mindfulness, and more. Here are some more complex vocabulary words for the serious Spanish yogi.
La asana – Asana – yoga posture
El Buda – Buddha – a buddha is an enlightened one; “the Buddha” refers to Siddhartha Gautama
La mirada – Drishti – gazing point used during asana practice
Guru – one who brings us from darkness to light; a spiritual mentor
El karma – karma – action; the law of karma is the law of cause and effect
Kirtan – a community gathering involving chanting, live music and meditation
El mantra – mantra – a repeated sound, syllable, word or phrase; often used in chanting and meditation.
Om – the original syllable; chanted “A-U-M” at the beginning and/or end of many yoga classes
Prana – life energy; chi; qi
Pranayama – breath control; breathing exercises
La illuminación – Samadhi – the state of complete Self-actualization; enlightenment
Saludos al Sol – Surya Namaskar – Sun Salutations; a system of yoga exercises performed in a flow or series
Las sutras – sutras – classical texts; the most famous in yoga are Patanjali’s Yoga Sutras.
El/la yogui – yogi/yogini – a male/female practitioner of yoga.
Example Sentences
No tienes que ser super flexible para hacer yoga.
You don’t have to be super flexible to do yoga.
Sea amable con su cuerpo y, como con cualquier habilidad nueva, hágalo paso a paso.
Be gentle with your body and, as with any new skill, take it step by step.
Permita que la mente permanezca tolerante y tranquila, ya sea practicando posturas suaves o más desafiantes.
Allow the mind to remain accepting and calm, whether practicing gentle or more challenging postures.
Con la práctica sostenida, el yoga desarrolla la conciencia interior y la paz interior.
With sustained practice, yoga develops inner awareness and inner peace.
Solo 15 minutos de yoga al día pueden mejorar su estado de ánimo (y su salud).
Just 15 minutes of yoga per day can transform your mood (and your health) for the better.
Advanced Sentences on Yoga Classes
Las clases de flow fortalecen el cuerpo físico y conectan la mente con el movimiento al ritmo de tu propia respiración.
Flow classes strengthen the physical body and connect the body to the movement at the rhythm of your own breathing.
En las clases se introducen posturas desafiantes (inversiones, aperturas y balances de brazo), por lo que saber lo básico es ideal.
Challenging postures (reversals, openings, and arm balances), so knowing the basics is ideal.
En el estilo “Slow Flow” si bien es más lenta, no deja de ser menos exigente.
The “Slow Flow” style, although it is slower, is still just as demanding.
Los yoguis profundizan y experimentan los matices de la mente y el cuerpo mientras exploran conscientemente su propio rango de movimiento.
Yogis delve into and experience the nuances of the mind and body while consciously exploring their own range of motion.
Secuencias profundas y conscientes de poses que ayudan a enfocar la mente, calmar el sistema nervioso y soltar la tensión del cuerpo a un ritmo más pausado pero profundo.
Deep, mindful sequences of poses help focus the mind, calm the nervous system, and release tension from the body at a slower but deeper pace.
Vinyasa Flow es una práctica dinámica que conecta la mente con el cuerpo a través de la respiración consciente, y una serie de posturas que entregan múltiples beneficios tanto físicos como mentales.
Vinyasa Flow is a dynamic practice that connects the mind with the body through conscious breathing, and a series of postures that provide multiple benefits, both physical and mental.
Namaste
Want to use your new yoga in Spanish vocabulary in a real-life conversation? Sign up for a free class with one of our friendly, native-speaking teachers at Homeschool Spanish Academy (HSA)! We teach over 24,000 actively enrolled students every month! HSA offers flexible scheduling, tailored Spanish packages, and individualized Spanish lessons for adults. Try it out for yourself today!
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