Spanish Words That Start With H: 100+ Essential Terms

Hey, Spanish fans! Now, let’s dive into Spanish words that start with “H” is a heavyweight in Spanish — it’s an everywhere letter, from hola hellos to hacer action.

We’ve done the most: put together every H word you can know—every single one that matters—straight from the best-sounding sources, like SpanishDict, Fluency, and How’s My Spanish. com’s massive dictionary.

Think hermoso sunsets, hambre for churros or hogar vibes. This guide has meanings, pronunciations, examples and hacks to make them yours.

And whether you’re starting out or seasoned, these “H” words will boost your Spanish game. Let’s hit the ground running!

Why “H” Rules Spanish Vocab

“H” is a Spanish OG — an original gangsta in the alphabet, as old as this country’s vowels and consonants — but with a twist: It is usually silent! In hola (OH-lah) or hijo (EE-hoh), the “H” hangs out, allowing vowels to take a turn.

It only makes an appearance in rare loanwords, such as hámster (HAM-ster). Why care? “H” words are the meat and potatoes of everyday Spanish — greetings, family, actions, you name it. Do these, and you’ll be talking like a local in no time. Let’s unpack the goods!

100+ Spanish Words That Start With H

Spanish Word	English Meaning	Pronunciation	Vibe Check
haber	To have (aux.)	ah-BEHR	Grammar king—think “I’ve done it.”
hábil	Skillful	AH-beel	Talent flex.
habitación	Room	ah-bee-tah-SYOHN	Your chill spot.
habitante	Inhabitant	ah-bee-TAHN-teh	Local crew.
hablar	To speak	ah-BLAHR	Chat master.
hacer	To do/make	ah-SEHR	Action hero.
halcón	Falcon	ahl-KOHN	Sky boss.
hallar	To find	ah-YAHR	Treasure hunt.
hambre	Hunger	AHM-breh	Food craving.
harina	Flour	ah-REE-nah	Baking BFF.
hasta	Until	AHS-tah	Time setter.
haz	Beam/bundle	AHS	Light or stack.
hecho	Fact/done	EH-choh	Truth or finito!
helado	Ice cream/frozen	eh-LAH-doh	Sweet freeze.
heredar	To inherit	eh-reh-DAHR	Family loot.
herida	Wound	eh-REE-dah	Ouch moment.
hermana	Sister	ehr-MAH-nah	Sis squad.
hermano	Brother	ehr-MAH-noh	Bro bond.
hermosa	Beautiful (f)	ehr-MOH-sah	Stunning gal.
hermoso	Beautiful (m)	ehr-MOH-soh	Handsome guy.
héroe	Hero	EH-roh-eh	Epic saver.
herrumbre	Rust	eh-ROOM-breh	Old metal vibes.
hervir	To boil	ehr-VEER	Kitchen bubble.
hielo	Ice	YEH-loh	Frosty cool.
hierba	Grass/herb	YER-bah	Green stuff.
hígado	Liver	EE-gah-doh	Body engine.
hija	Daughter	EE-hah	Little princess.
hijo	Son	EE-hoh	Little prince.
hilera	Row	ee-LEH-rah	Lineup pro.
hipótesis	Hypothesis	ee-POH-teh-sees	Smart guess.
historia	Story/history	ees-TOH-ree-ah	Epic tale.
hogar	Home	oh-GAHR	Cozy haven.
hoja	Leaf	OH-hah	Tree bling.
hola	Hello	OH-lah	Hi five!
hombre	Man	OHM-breh	Dude central.
hombro	Shoulder	OHM-broh	Lean on me.
honda	Deep/sling	OHN-dah	Depth or weapon.
honesto	Honest	oh-NES-toh	Truth champ.
hora	Hour	OH-rah	Time ticker.
horario	Schedule	oh-RAH-ree-oh	Plan guru.
horca	Gallows/fork	OR-kah	Old-school justice.
horizonte	Horizon	oh-ree-ZOHN-teh	Far-off line.
hormiga	Ant	or-MEE-gah	Tiny hustler.
hornear	To bake	or-NEH-ahr	Oven wizard.
horrible	Horrible	or-REE-bleh	Total bummer.
hospital	Hospital	ohs-pee-TAHL	Fix-up spot.
hoy	Today	OY	Right now!
hueco	Hole/gap	WEH-koh	Empty patch.
huelga	Strike	WEL-gah	Work stop.
huella	Footprint	WEH-yah	Track maker.
huérfano	Orphan	WEHR-fah-noh	Lone kid.
hueso	Bone	WEH-soh	Skeleton star.
huésped	Guest	WEHS-ped	VIP visitor.
huir	To flee	oo-EER	Bolt out!
humano	Human	oo-MAH-noh	Us folks.
húmedo	Wet	OO-meh-doh	Soaky feels.
humor	Humor	oo-MOR	Laugh factory.
huracán	Hurricane	oo-rah-KAHN	Wild storm.
habichuela	Bean	ah-bee-CHWEH-lah	Food nugget.
habilidad	Skill	ah-bee-lee-DAHD	Pro move.
habituar	To accustom	ah-bee-too-AHR	Habit maker.
halagar	To flatter	ah-lah-GAHR	Compliment king.
habanero	Havana-related	ah-bah-NEH-roh	Spicy or Cuban.
hacienda	Estate	ah-SYEN-dah	Big land.
halógeno	Halogen	ah-LOH-heh-noh	Chem light.
haragán	Lazy	ah-rah-GAHN	Couch potato.
hartar	To tire/fill	ar-TAHR	Donezo!
hedor	Stench	eh-DOR	Smell alert.
helicóptero	Helicopter	eh-lee-KOHP-teh-roh	Sky ride.
herramienta	Tool	eh-rah-MYEN-tah	Fixer friend.
hincapié	Emphasis	een-kah-PYEH	Stress it!
holgazán	Lazy	ohl-gah-SAHN	Slack master.
hondonada	Valley	on-doh-NAH-dah	Low land.
hurto	Theft	OOR-toh	Sneaky take.
habas	Broad beans	AH-bahs	Snack stash.
habladuría	Gossip	ah-blah-doo-REE-ah	Rumor mill.
hachís	Hashish	ah-CHEES	Stoner stuff.
hado	Fate	AH-doh	Destiny call.
halago	Flattery	ah-LAH-goh	Sweet words.
hamaca	Hammock	ah-MAH-kah	Chill swing.
harapo	Rag	ah-RAH-poh	Old cloth.
hazaña	Feat	ah-SAH-nyah	Epic win.
hediondo	Stinky	eh-DYOHN-doh	Nose plug!
hembra	Female	EM-brah	Lady kind.
hereje	Heretic	eh-REH-heh	Rebel believer.
herida	Injury	eh-REE-dah	Boo-boo.
hilo	Thread	EE-loh	Sew or chat.
hipo	Hiccup	EE-poh	Surprise jolt.
horda	Horde	OR-dah	Mob rush.
horchata	Horchata	or-CHAH-tah	Sweet drink.
hormigón	Concrete	or-mee-GOHN	Build strong.
horror	Horror	or-ROR	Spooky feels.
hosco	Sullen	OHS-koh	Grump mode.
hostal	Hostel	ohs-TAHL	Budget stay.
hucha	Piggy bank	OO-chah	Coin catcher.
humilde	Humble	oo-MEEL-deh	Down-to-earth.
hundir	To sink	oon-DEER	Go down!

Full Scope Note: This is just 100+ of the 1,100+ “H” words out there! HowIsMySpanish.com lists everything from habanera (dance) to huzo (spindle)—we’ve got the highlights here, but the total’s massive for true word nerds.

Pronunciation Crash Course: Silent “H” and Beyond

• Silent “H”: Most “H” words mute it—hola (OH-lah), hacer (ah-SEHR). Focus on the vowels!
• Sounded “H”: Rare, in loanwords like hámster (HAM-ster) or hobby (HOB-bee).
• Try It: Say hambre (AHM-breh) or hermoso (ehr-MOH-soh)—smooth and silent!

Real-Life Examples: “H” in Play

Here’s how to flex these in convo:

1. Hola: “Hola, ¿qué tal tu hogar?”
   (“Hello, how’s your home?”)
2. Hablar: “Quiero hablar de historia contigo.”
   (“I want to talk history with you.”)
3. Hacer: “Hacer un helado es fácil.”
   (“Making ice cream is easy.”)
4. Hambre: “Tengo hambre—necesito harina para tacos.”
   (“I’m hungry—I need flour for tacos.”)
5. Hermosa: “Esa playa es hermosa, ¿verdad?”
   (“That beach is beautiful, right?”)
6. Hijo: “Mi hijo ama su hermano.”
   (“My son loves his brother.”)
7. Hora: “¿Qué hora es? Hice planes.”
   (“What time is it? I made plans.”)
8. Hogar: “Mi hogar tiene hierba verde.”
   (“My home has green grass.”)
9. Humor: “Su humor me hace reír hasta tarde.”
   (“His humor makes me laugh until late.”)
10. Huracán: “El huracán dejó húmedo todo.”
    (“The hurricane left everything wet.”)

Bonus “H” Gems and Fun Facts

• habladurías – Rumors (ah-blah-doo-REE-ahs)
• huesudo – Bony (weh-SOO-doh)
• hundimiento – Sinking (oon-dee-MYEN-toh)
• Fun Fact: “H” was once a breathy sound in Old Spanish (like “f” in facer > hacer), but it hushed up over centuries!

Memorize Like a Boss: “H” Hacks

• Group ‘Em: Family (hijo, hermana), actions (hablar, hacer), nature (hielo, huracán).
• Say It: “Hola, tengo hambre en mi hogar con humor.”
• Use It: Toss hora or hermosa into chats—practice is king!

Why “H” Rocks: Spanish Soul

The “h” words are staples of Spanish — hola opens conversations, hacer builds dreams, hogar sounds like home.

They’re interwoven with culture, from harina tortillas of Mexico to horchata sips of Spain. Learn these, and you’re not just speaking — you’re bonding.

More cred? Hit up the California Department of Education’s English-Spanish Glossary for extra juice—it’s a learner’s goldmine!

Wrap-Up: You’re the “H” Master Now!

Boom—over 100 Spanish words that start with H . They’re vital, vibrant, and your fast track to fluency.

Start dropping them in your Spanish, and watch heads turn. What’s your top “H” pick? Tell me below, and let’s keep the fiesta going!

Related Post: Spanish Language Resources