Today’s Spanish word of the day is “tierra”. It’s a feminine noun meaning “land” or “earth”. It can also translate as “ground”, “soil” or “homeland”.
If you want to refer to “planet Earth” in Spanish, you would say “planeta Tierra”.
The word “tierra” comes from Latin terra, which is also the root of several English words including “territory”, “terrestrial”, “terrain” and “subterranean”. A few Latin phrases using this word survive in English, for example terra firma (“solid ground”).
You’ve probably heard of Tierra del Fuego, the archipelago at the southern tip of Argentina and Chile. Tierra del Fuego means “Land of Fire”, as the first European explorers saw a lot of bonfires on the islands built by the natives.
Example sentences
El avión aterrizó en tierra firme.
The plane landed on solid ground.
Después del terremoto, la tierra tembló por horas.
After the earthquake, the ground shook for hours.
Sentí la tierra fría bajo mis pies descalzos.
I felt the cold ground under my bare feet.
Después de viajar mucho, regresó a su tierra natal.
After traveling a lot, he returned to his homeland.
Las raíces del árbol se extienden profundamente en la tierra.
The tree’s roots extend deep into the earth.
