Skip links
Published on: Vocabulary

Spanish Words That Start With O

Delving into a new language like Spanish is a rewarding journey. In this blog post, we’ll teach you Spanish words that start with “O”, enhancing your ability to connect with millions of Spanish speakers worldwide.

Whether you’re travelling to a Spanish-speaking country or engaging with Spanish-speaking friends, an enriched vocabulary is key. This post is the perfect beginning, offering a wide variety of Spanish words, from chemical element-related nouns to vibrant ‘ocean’ phrases.

We’ll help build your confidence by showing you how to construct sentences and understanding the rules behind Spanish words. Additionally, you’ll find an English translation for each Spanish word, boosting your understanding of their meaning.

So, whether it’s for work, travel, or personal interest, this dictionary-like list of Spanish words starting with “O” is a fantastic starting point. Let’s dive into this fascinating world!

History Of The Letter O In The Spanish Alphabet

The Spanish language has a rich and fascinating history, and the development of the Spanish alphabet is a significant part of it. The Spanish alphabet is based on the Latin alphabet, which was used by the Romans, and it was first used in Spain in the 15th century

Since then, the Spanish alphabet has evolved, with changes being made to it over time.

The letter “O” has been a part of the Spanish alphabet since its inception. It is a vowel and is the 16th letter in the modern Spanish alphabet. Its sound is similar to that of English, and it is used in a wide variety of Spanish words. In Spanish, “O” is pronounced as “o” (oh), and it has no variations in its pronunciation.

DID YOU KNOW…?

The letter “O” is derived from the Phoenician letter “ayin,” which meant “eye.”

Throughout history, the letter “O” has played a crucial role in the development of the Spanish language. The letter has been used in words borrowed from other languages, such as “ordenador” (computer), which comes from the English word “order.” 

It is also used in many Spanish words that are part of everyday vocabulary, such as “oro” (gold), “oso” (bear), and “ojo” (eye).

The letter “O” has remained unchanged throughout the evolution of the Spanish language, unlike other letters such as “ll” and “ch” that were once considered distinct letters but are now considered to be digraphs. 

In recent years, there have been debates about the need to update the Spanish alphabet to include other letters, such as “ñ” and “ch,” which are used in some Spanish-speaking countries. However, these changes have not been widely adopted.

In conclusion, the letter “O” has a rich history in the Spanish language, and its use in Spanish words has been consistent over the years. 

As one of the fundamental vowels in the Spanish language, it has played a significant role in the language’s evolution and continues to be an integral part of it today.

Spanish Nouns Starting With O (Sustantivos)

Nouns are words that name people, places, things, or ideas. In Spanish, they can be either masculine or feminine and can be singular or plural.

Here is a list of nouns in Spanish that start with “O”:

Spanish  English 
Ojo Eye
Oro Gold
Ola Wave
Oso Bear
Oído Ear
Orilla Shoreline
Opción Option
Oración Prayer/Sentence
Ocasión Occasion
Obra Work
Origen Origin
Objeto Object
Opinión Opinion
Oferta  Offer
Oficina Office
Ombligo Navel
Oeste West
Oliva Olive
Orquesta Orchestra
Octubre October
Olla Pot
Ocupación Occupation
Organismo Organism
Objetivo Objective
Oveja Sheep
Océano Ocean
Oruga Caterpillar
Ocio  Leisure

FUN FACT…

In Spanish, the letter “O” is often used as a symbol of a hug, similar to how “X” is used in English. This is because the shape of the letter “O” resembles two people embracing each other. So, in texts, emails, or social media messages, Spanish speakers might use “OO” or “Oo” to indicate a hug or affectionate gesture.

Tree-bark styled letter "O" on a soft green gradient background.
Image by Freepik via Freepik

Spanish Verbs Starting With O (Verbos)

Verbs are words that describe an action, occurrence, or state of being. In Spanish, they can be regular or irregular and conjugated to match the sentence’s tense, subject, and mood.

Here is a list of verbs in Spanish that start with “O”:

Spanish  English 
O.0cupar  To Occupy
Obtener To Obtain
Observar  To Observe
Ofrecer To Offer
Oír  To Hear
Olvidar To Forget
Opinar To Give An Opinion
Organizar To Organize
Obligar To Obligate
Oler To Smell
Oponer To Oppose
Ordenar  To Order
Opacar To Overshadow
Operar  To Operate
Odiar To Hate
Otear To Scan
Oprimir To Oppress
Oscilar To Oscillate
Obturar To Fill In
Ojear To Skim
Orientar To Orient
Ocuparse  To Be Busy With
Ondear To Wave
Obligar To Obligate 
Obsequiar To Gift
Olisquear To Sniff
Obviar To Ignore

Spanish Adverbs Starting With O (Adverbios)

Adverbs are words that modify or describe a verb, an adjective, or another adverb. In Spanish, they can indicate the manner, time, place, degree, or frequency of an action or event.

Here is a list of adverbs in Spanish that start with “O”:

Spanish English
Ocasionalmente Occasionally
Odiosamente Hatefully
Oficialmente Officially
Oportunamente Opportunely
Originalmente Originally
Obviamente Obviously
Oportunamente Timely
Ojalá Hopefully
Obedientemente  Obediently
Ordinariamente Ordinarily
Opuestamente Oppositely
Ocasional Occasional
Olímpicamente Olympically
Ondulantemente Undulatingly
Oíblemente Audibly
Orgullosamente Proudly
Ostentosamente Ostentatiously
Opacamente Opaquely
Oralmente  Orally
Objetivamente Objectively
Optativamente Optatively
Ominosamente Ominously
Ocupadamente Busily
Oblicuamente Obliquely
Osadamente Boldly
Two students carrying notebooks and binders while walking, emphasizing a close-up of their books and backpacks.
Image by wayhomestudio via Freepik

Spanish Adjectives Starting With O (Adjetivos)

Adjectives are words that modify or describe a noun or a pronoun. In Spanish, they can be used to indicate the color, size, shape, quality, or quantity of a noun.

Here is a long list of adjectives in Spanish that start with “O”:

Spanish English
Obediente Obedient
Obeso Obese
Objetivo Objective
Obligado Obligated
Obsceno Obscene
Obsesivo Obsessive
Obsoleto Obsolete
Obstétrico Obstetric
Obstinado Obstinate
Obtuso Obtuse
Obvio Obvious
Ocasional  Occasional
Odioso  Odious
Ofensivo Offensive
Oficial Official
Oftálmico Ophthalmic
Olímpico Olympic
Omnipotente Omnipotent
Ondulado Wavy
Opaco Opaque
Opinable  Debatable
Oportunista Opportunist
Oportuno Opportune
Opuesto Opposite

Now You Know a Lot of Spanish Words With O!

Discover the power of Spanish words that start with O. Broaden your horizons and enhance your language skills by exploring a fascinating array of vocabulary. 

From everyday phrases to intriguing chemical elements, our expert tutors at SpanishVIP are passionate about teaching and fostering a supportive environment for your language journey. 

Our innovative online platform provides interactive lessons, real-time conversations, and a handy dictionary. 

Uncover the meanings, rules, and conjugation of Spanish words and phrases, all while enjoying the flexibility of scheduling lessons at your convenience. 

Choose from diverse packages tailored to your budget and learning style. Don’t wait any longer to embark on this captivating linguistic adventure. 

Sign up today for a free 1:1 class or free 7 days of group classes and experience the SpanishVIP methodology that hundreds of students are obsessed with.

Want to learn Spanish, fast?

Download our e-book, Easy Spanish Shortcuts, and learn your first 1,000 Spanish words in under a day!

Download Guide Now