silvestre
adjectiveCEFR B2
What does “silvestre” mean in English?
growing or living in a natural state, not cultivated or domesticated
Example sentences
El prado estaba cubierto de flores silvestres de todos los colores en primavera.
The meadow was covered with wildflowers of every colour in spring.
Recogieron fresas silvestres durante la excursión por el bosque.
They picked wild strawberries during the hike through the forest.
How to use it
Silvestre (adjective, invariable for gender) means 'wild' when describing plants, flowers or fruit growing naturally, without cultivation: flores silvestres, fresas silvestres. For wild animals, salvaje is the more common adjective.
Common mistake
Silvestre describes wild plants (flores silvestres, hierbas silvestres); for wild animals, Spanish normally uses salvaje (un animal salvaje) instead — the two adjectives are not fully interchangeable.
Topics
Related B2 words
Reference
This entry’s teaching guidance follows Plan Curricular del Instituto Cervantes (Instituto Cervantes), B2 Nociones específicas: naturaleza y me.