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.

Advanced Yoga in Spanish Vocabulary

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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