A Kid’s Guide to Pirates in Spanish

The world of pirates in Spanish is a fascinating topic to embark on with young students. Exciting movies and fantasy-packed tales attract the attention of kids of all ages. 

Talking about pirates in Spanish gives educators the perfect chance to teach students history, fun facts, and new vocabulary in Spanish. 

The more your students are exposed to a language; the easier it becomes for them to use it intuitively inside and outside the classroom.

Through fun tales and engaging activities; kids are able to absorb useful Spanish expressions, and elevate their reading comprehension, writing, and fluency to the next level. 

Take this treasure-packed lesson to your classroom with the support of this joyous kid’s guide to pirates in Spanish.

What Are Pirates in Spanish?

Los piratas (pirates) were daring characters who came from Europe to America during the sixteenth and eighteenth century. Los piratas were known for sailing the sea in search of tesoros (treasures). They lived under their own rules and were often chased by justice. Most of them were rebel outlaws.

Los piratas were from Inglaterra (England), España (Spain), Francia (France), and Holanda (Holland). 

Since new resources and riches were discovered in America by settlers, los piratas had their eyes set on seizing bounty in sailing routes. They wanted to get their hands on a piece of the treasure and roamed islands in the Caribbean looking for it. 

Los piratas were known for having a certain scruffy look and for carrying specific items. Here’s a list of pirates in Spanish related items for you to describe them. 

Vocabulary For Describing Pirates in Spanish

Example Sentences

Algunos piratas usaban un pañuelo en la cabeza.
Some pirates wore bandanas around their head. 

El capitán usualmente utilizaba un sombrero pirata. 
The captain would usually wear a pirate hat. 

Algunos piratas tenían pelo largo y barba. 
Some pirates had long hair and a beard. 

En lugar de una mano, algunos piratas tenían un garfio.
Instead of having a hand, some pirates had a hook. 

Los loros eran las mascotas favoritas de los piratas.
Parrots were pirates’ favorite pets. 

Los piratas usaban botas, pantalones y camisas. 
Pirates wore boots, trousers, and a shirt.

Había piratas que tenían una pata de palo y otros usaban un parche en el ojo.
There were pirates who had a peg leg and others wore an eye patch.

What Did Pirates Do?

Pirates answered to no one and were feared by many. They would sail in large barcos (ships) called carabelas. These vessels were fast and required a large tripulación (crew)to succeed.

Los piratas moved from place to place. They stormed ships that carried exotic products and gold. Their ships were under the rule of a capitán (captain) along with corsarios (pirates) in charge of the different tasks in the ship.

Los barcos piratas (pirate ships) would have a raised flag made of a skull and crossbones to identify them. This bandera pirata (pirate flag) was called a “jolly roger” by English pirates. It was a sign that you had to surrender without a fight. 

Los piratas would explore islas exoticas (exotic islands) and high seas in search of buried treasures. They relied on maps and navigation artifacts to succeed. They weren’t afraid to fight and used cannons to bring down entire fleets. 

Use these vocabulary lists for sharing pirates in Spanish adventures with your students.

Artifacts and Places for Pirates in Spanish 

Example Sentences

Los barcos piratas usaban cañones en las batallas.
Pirate ships used cannons in their battles.

Navegaban el mar gracias a una brújula y un mapa.
They sailed the ocean thanks to a compass and a map.

Los tesoros piratas tenían oro y joyas.
Pirate treasures had gold and jewels. 

Utilizaban un telescopio para ver de lejos y encontrar la costa.
They would use a spyglass to see from afar and find the coast.

Los piratas tenían peleas de espada y pistolas con sus rivales. 
The pirates had sword and gun fights with their rivals.

Los piratas se escondían en islas en el Caribe.
Pirates hid in islands in the Caribbean. 

Pirates in Spanish Actions and Verbs

Example Sentences

Algunos piratas se atacan entre ellos.
Some pirates attack each other. 

Al abordar el barco los piratas capturaron a los rehenes.
When boarding the ship the pirates captured the hostages. 

Encontrar tesoro a veces era difícil para los piratas.
Finding treasure was often difficult for pirates.

Los piratas navegaban y robaban por todos los mares.
Pirates sailed and stole throughout the seas. 

En un motín, los piratas luchaban con espadas.
In a mutiny, pirates fought with swords.

Los piratas hacían a sus víctimas caminar a la plancha.
Pirates would make their victims walk the plank. 

5 Fun Facts About Pirates in Spanish

1. The most feared pirate of all was Barbanegra (Blackbeard). He was brutal and would light his beard on fire to scare his enemies. Yikes!
2. Not all pirate ships used a jolly roger. Some ships had their unique bandera pirata to stand out. 
3. Las mujeres piratas (women pirates) also existed. Famous female pirates include Mary Read and Grace O’Malley. 
4. Pirate treasure wasn’t only gold and jewels. Pirates also valued food, lumber, clothes, and animals. 
5. La vida pirata (the pirate life) had rules to follow. Every pirate ship had a code and guidelines that included how to divide treasure and chores. 

Even the baddest pirates had obligations and cleaning duties! Teach your students all about Doing Chores in Spanish and encourage some discipline and teamwork.

Pirates in Spanish Games and Activities

Real Pirate Treasure Hunt

Organize an actual búsqueda del tesoro (treasure hunt) using our map and pirates in Spanish set of flashcards. 

Design a route for your students to follow, make clues, and include a list of words from the vocabulary as part of the loot. This is also an excellent opportunity to teach your students how maps and compasses work. Make sure to include some actual rewards for those who find the treasure first. 

Compliment this activity with a curiosity packed Kid’s Guide to The Globe in Spanish. 

Pirates in Spanish Sensory Bin

A sensory bin is perfect for stimulating your youngest students with hands-on learning. 

You can use a plastic crate, squishy water beads, and small toys or figurines. Kids are visual and highly sensory learners. Make sure to practice vocabulary in Spanish as they play with the bin. 

Consider the following pirates in Spanish words to include inside the sensory bin:

• sombrero pirata (pirate hat)
• loro (parrot)
• espada (sword)
• barco pirata (pirate ship)
• tesoro (treasure)
• parche (eyepatch)

Message in a Bottle

Have your students create their own pirate character drawing inspiration from the set of flashcards and make the adventure come to life. 

Each student should write a set of sentences in Spanish about their pirate and stash it inside a bottle. 

Students are encouraged to exchange their messages in a bottle between each other and share their messages with the class. This activity is fantastic for practicing reading, writing, and Spanish pronunciation. 

Pirates in Spanish Trivia

Use our pirates in Spanish worksheet to quiz your students on this lesson. Our template has 10 sentences in Spanish for students to complete using the answer box. The students can use the flashcards as support. 

DIY Pirate Telescope

Make your own seaview telescope using locally sourced materials. This activity is perfect for your kids’ imagination and creativity to soar. You’ll need:

• a paper cup
• a paper towel roll
• acrylic paints
• glue gun
• tape
• beads and stickers to decorate the telescope
• a small sized see through round container with lid

First, you need to fill the see through container with water and a drop of blue acrylic paint. Seal it shut using the glue gun so it won’t leak.

Use the acrylic colors to paint a pirate ship, desert island, or treasure outside the container. Place the paper towel roll on the bottom of the paper cup and cut a hole for it to go through. Once the roll is inside, you can hot glue the see through container inside. 

Have your kid decorate and trim the edges to their own style. This arts and crafts project is ideal for showing them how a telescope was used for navigation. 

Get some eyepatches and hooks to make the adventure extra fun!

Pirates in Spanish Videos

YouTube has plenty of fun videos you can use as support for this lesson. Videos are an excellent resource that exposes young students to Spanish pronunciation and vocabulary.

Here’s a list of videos about pirates in Spanish for you to choose from:

• El origen de los piratas (The Origin of Pirates)
• El pirata de palo en búsqueda del tesoro perdido (The Peg Legged Pirate in Search of the Lost Treasure)
• Daniela Pirata (Daniela the Pirate)
• La historia de los piratas (The History of Pirates)
• Los Piratas: El terror de los siete mares (Pirates: The Terror of the Seven Seas)

Pirates in Spanish Story Time

Pirates have inspired all sorts of fantastic tales and stories. Some of the best novels talk about pirates in Spanish and are available for students of different ages.

Here’s a selection of pirates in Spanish books you can use for this lesson. 

• Cuentos de piratas para niños y niñas (Pirate Tales for Boys and Girls)
• Peter Pan by JM Barrie
• La isla del tesoro (Treasure Island) by Robert Louis Stevenson 
• Daniela Pirata y la bruja Sofronisa (Pirate Daniela and the Sofronisa Witch)
• Pablo el Pirata (Pablo the Pirate)
• La pirata y el ratón Pérez (The pirate and the Tooth Fairy) 
• Los Goonies (The Goonies)
• Cuentos y leyendas sobre piratas y corsarios del Caribe (Tales and Legends About Pirates and Corsairs from the Caribbean)

Let’s Embark On a Spanish Journey!

I hope this lesson leaves you inspired and prepared to teach all about pirates in Spanish to your little ones. 

Get them started and join a free class with our certified teachers from Guatemala. Conversing with a native speaker brings exceptional results to a child’s fluency and pronunciation. 

Kids that develop Spanish at an early age are able to understand complex grammar rules and gain a broader understanding of their community. 

Gifting your kids with Spanish skills is highly rewarding. It opens up a world of opportunities that puts them on a path for success. 

Children who are bilingual are set up to enter their language studies at school with a stronger foundation and confidence. By the time they reach high school, they’ll be prepared to take on the challenge. 

Want more free Spanish lessons, fun content, and easy learning strategies for kids? Check these out!

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• A Kid’s Guide to Pirates in Spanish
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• A Kid’s Guide to Conducting Science Experiments in Spanish
• A Kid’s Guide to the Water Cycle in Spanish
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Sofía Godoy Alonso

Freelance Writer at Homeschool Spanish Academy

Native speaker of English and Spanish, I’m a sustainable travel and social impact entrepreneur who loves going to new places and meeting people from different cultures and backgrounds. I love spending time with my family and being outdoors with my dogs. Writing, communicating, and creating are my passions. I strongly believe there are more creative ways to solve the issues our world is facing and I like doing my part in any way I can.

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