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"Bosque" is a noun which is often translated as "forest", and "selva" is a noun which is often translated as "jungle". Learn more about the difference between "bosque" and "selva" below.
el bosque(
bohs
-
keh
)A masculine noun is used with masculine articles and adjectives (e.g., el hombre guapo, el sol amarillo).
b. wood
Recolecté hongos en el bosque cerca de mi casa.I collected mushrooms in the wood near my house.
c. woods
Hay muchas serpientes venenosas en el bosque.There are lots of venomous snakes in the woods.
d. woodland
Hay un lindo bosque por allá donde podemos hacer un picnic.There's a lovely woodland over there where we can have a picnic.
la selva(
sehl
-
bah
)A feminine noun is almost always used with feminine articles and adjectives (e.g., la mujer bonita, la luna llena).
1. (geography)
b. forest
Hay un gran número de lagos en la Selva Negra de Alemania.There are a great number of lakes in Germany's Black Forest.
c. rainforest
Bien podría decirse que la selva del Amazonas es el pulmón del mundo.It could well be said that the Amazon rainforest is the lung of the world.