noun

la sangre

blood

Líquido rojo que circula por el cuerpo de las personas y los animales, llevando oxígeno y nutrientes a las células.

Definition & meaning

Sangre is a feminine Spanish noun meaning blood, the red bodily fluid that circulates through the body and carries oxygen and nutrients.

It also has several figurative meanings:

Family relationship or ancestry: “They are related by blood.”
Lineage or descent: referring to a person’s family origin or heritage.
Temperament or vitality: in expressions describing someone as energetic, passionate, calm, or emotionally intense.
Bloodshed or violence in certain contexts, especially when associated with injury or death.

The usual singular form is la sangre. The plural las sangres is uncommon and normally appears only when referring to different bloodlines, types, or symbolic kinds of blood.

Grammar & Word origin

Part of speech: feminine noun
Gender: feminine: la sangre
Plural: las sangres, usually uncommon
Pronunciation: approximately SAHN-greh

The word comes from Latin sanguis, meaning “blood.” It is related to Spanish words such as sangrar (“to bleed”), sangriento (“bloody”), and sanguíneo (“related to blood” or “sanguine”).

Synonyms & antonyms

There is no single perfect synonym in every context.

fluido vital — a formal or descriptive synonym for blood as a bodily fluid.
linaje — means lineage or ancestry, so it replaces sangre only in the figurative sense of family origin.
parentesco — means kinship or family relationship, focusing on the relationship rather than biological blood itself.
familia — means family and is broader than the figurative meaning of sangre.

Sangre has no exact antonym. Depending on the context, possible contrasts include:

paz — opposite of bloodshed or violence.
vida — sometimes contrasted with bloodshed or death, though it is not a direct antonym.
no parentesco — contrasts with the figurative meaning of blood relationship.

Common phrases & collocations

la sangre — the blood
tipo de sangre — blood type
grupo sanguíneo — blood group
análisis de sangre — blood test
donar sangre — to donate blood
perder sangre — to lose blood
tener sangre fría — to remain calm in a difficult or dangerous situation
tener sangre caliente — to be passionate, impulsive, or easily angered
llevar algo en la sangre — to have a quality, talent, or passion naturally
ser de la misma sangre — to be related by blood
hacer sangre — literally “to make blood”; idiomatically, to worsen someone’s pain or exploit a weakness
a sangre fría — cold-bloodedly, without emotion or remorse