vs
QUICK ANSWER
"Rayos" is a form of "rayo", a noun which is often translated as "ray". "Truenos" is a form of "trueno", a noun which is often translated as "thunderclap". Learn more about the difference between "rayos" and "truenos" below.
el rayo(
rrah
-
yoh
)A masculine noun is used with masculine articles and adjectives (e.g., el hombre guapo, el sol amarillo).
1. (of light)
a. bolt of lightning
Dicen que Benjamín Franklin salió en una tormenta para esperar un rayo.They say Benjamin Franklin went out in a storm to wait for a bolt of lightning.
b. flash of lightning
¿Viste ese rayo? Cayó muy cerca.Did you see that flash of lightning? It was really close.
a. spoke
Pegué un bache y se me doblaron unos rayos de la rueda de mi bici.I hit a pothole and bent a few spokes of my bike wheel.
el trueno(
trweh
-
noh
)A masculine noun is used with masculine articles and adjectives (e.g., el hombre guapo, el sol amarillo).
1. (weather)
c. clap of thunder
Eso fue el trueno más fuerte que jamás he escuchado.That was the loudest clap of thunder I've ever heard.
2. (noise)
a. thunder
El trueno de los fuegos pirotécnicos fue estupendo.The thunder from the fireworks was awesome.
b. boom
El trueno del cañón se escuchó a kilómetros de distancia.The cannon's boom was heard kilometers away.
c. thundering
Oímos el trueno de los cascos mucho antes de que viéramos la estampida.We heard the thundering of hooves long before we saw the stampede.
