Spooky Spanish Words

Whether you're getting ready to celebrate Halloween or Día de Muertos(Day of the Dead), these spooky words will serve you well!

Spanish	English
alarmar	to alarm
el alma	soul
el altar	altar
el antepasado	ancestor
el aullido	howl
asustar	to scare
aterrador	terrifying
la bruja	witch
la calabaza	pumpkin
la calavera	skull
la calaca	skeleton
carcajearse	cackle
la Catrina	the Skeleton Lady (sort of like a female Grim Reaper)
cazar	hunt
el cementerio	cemetery, graveyard
el cempasúchil	marigold (flower used for Day of the Dead altars)
chillón	shrill
chirriar	to screech
la criatura	creature
desconcertante	unnerving
deslizarse	creep
el disfraz	costume
el difunto	deceased person
el dulce	candy
embrujar	to bewitch
escalofriante	creepy
espantoso	horrifying
espeluznante	terrifying, eerie
el espíritu maligno	ghoul
el esqueleto	skeleton
el fantasma	ghost, phantom
fantasmagórico	phantasmagoric
fantasmal	ghostly
la fiera	wild animal
hechizar	to bewitch
horrorizar	to appall
inmortal	immortal
la jauría	pack of hounds
la linterna de calabaza	jack-o'-lantern
la mazmorra	dungeon
el murciélago	bat
la poción	potion
macabro	macabre
la muerte	death
la muerta	dead person (female)
el muerto	dead person (male)
el pan de muerto	Day of the Dead bread
el panteón	graveyard
el papel picado	tissue paper with cut-out shapes
la parca	death
quimérico	fanciful
rondar	to haunt
sepultar	to bury
siniestro	sinister
sobrenatural	supernatural, unearthly
sobresaltado	startled
sobresaltar	to startle
supersticioso	superstitious
tallar	to carve
la telaraña	cobweb
temblar	to tremble
temer	to fear
la tumba	tomb
el trasgo	goblin
la ultratumba	life after death, the afterlife
el vampiro	vampire
velar	to have a wake for
ulular	to hoot, to howl, to wail

Here are some examples!

examples
Ayer compramos cempasúchil, papel picado y pan de muerto para adornar el altar. Yesterday we bought marigolds, tissue paper with cut-out shapes, and Day of the Dead bread to decorate the altar.
¿Qué disfraz te vas a poner para la fiesta? What costume are you going to wear for the party?

Looking for a reason to celebrate? Take a look at these articles about holidays and festivals in the Spanish-speaking world!

• A Year of Celebrations in Spanish-Speaking Countries

• How to Say "Happy New Year" in Spanish

• Hanukkah in the Spanish-Speaking World

• Christmas in the Spanish-Speaking World

• How to Say "Happy Valentine's Day" in Spanish

• Mother's Day in the Spanish-Speaking World

• Father's Day in the Spanish-Speaking World

• Easter in the Spanish-Speaking World

• Days in Spanish