koala

[koˈala]

/[koˈala]/ noun

The verdict

“koala” is an uncommon Spanish word, ranked #51,719 in Spanish word frequency and used as a noun.

#51,719
frequency rank, Spanish
5
letters

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - (Phascolarctos cinereus) Mamífero marsupial nativo de Australia, el último representante supérstite de la familia Phascolarctidae, de cuerpo robusto de hasta 15 kg de peso, cubierto de denso pelaje...

Key facts for koala
PropertyValue
Headwordkoala
LanguageSpanish
Part of speechNoun
IPA[koˈala]
Letters5
Frequency rank#51,719
Misspellings tracked0
Confusable pairs0
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “koala” sits in Spanish frequency

Every-word frequency runs from the handful of words we use constantly (left) to the long tail used once in a blue moon (right). koala lands here:

#1#100#1K#10K#100K
← used constantlyrarely used →

Scale is logarithmic (each tick is 10× rarer). Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

Spelling & Dictionary Insight

The Spanish entry for koala is 5 letters long, classified as a noun, and transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet as [koˈala]. Corpus data places it at rank #51,719 in overall Spanish word frequency, marking it as uncommon enough that many writers pause before typing it. Wiktionary records 2 distinct senses for this headword, so context determines which meaning a reader should apply.

Zero misspellings are on record for koala in our index, suggesting the orthography follows predictable Spanish patterns. No confusable counterpart is on file for this word, a sign it's visually distinctive enough not to be mixed up with another word.

Wiktionary doesn't record an etymology for this headword, so its spelling is best explained by sound-to-letter mapping rather than etymology. The correct Spanish form is koala, spelled K-O-A-L-A.

Definition

  1. 1
    (Phascolarctos cinereus) Mamífero marsupial nativo de Australia, el último representante supérstite de la familia Phascolarctidae, de cuerpo robusto de hasta 15 kg de peso, cubierto de denso pelaje gris, y miembros cortos dotados de fuertes garras, incluyendo dos pulgares oponibles. Es arborícola y de metabolismo muy lento.
  2. 2
    Pequeño bolso que se ata a la altura de la cintura y se lleva por delante.

Synonyms

This word in other languages

Definitions, pronunciation, and etymology for this entry are drawn from Wiktionary via the kaikki.org structured extract (CC BY-SA); frequency ordering uses the FrequencyWords open word-frequency list (2018 Spanish corpus, MIT). See the methodology for how each field is sourced and updated.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you spell "koala"?
"koala" is spelled K-O-A-L-A. The IPA pronunciation is [koˈala].
What does "koala" mean?
As a noun, "koala" means: (Phascolarctos cinereus) Mamífero marsupial nativo de Australia, el último representante supérstite de la familia Phascolarctidae, de cuerpo robusto de hasta 15 kg de peso, cubierto de denso pelaje...
How do you pronounce "koala"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "koala" is [koˈala]. Click the speaker icon on the pronunciation badge above to hear it spoken aloud where audio is available.
What language does "koala" come from?
"koala" is a Spanish word. You can look up definitions, pronunciations, and spelling data for this and other words across English, Spanish, Portuguese, French, and German on PlainSpell.
Is PlainSpell free to use?
Yes, PlainSpell is a completely free word reference. You can look up definitions, pronunciations, confusable pairs, homophones, and spelling corrections across 5 languages without any sign-up or subscription.

Using “koala”

The practical upshot for anyone who landed here from a spell-check.

  • The one correct Spanish spelling is K-O-A-L-A - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
  • Say it as [koˈala] (IPA); tap the speaker on the pronunciation badge to hear it where audio exists.
  • Browse more Spanish words and confusable pairs in the same reference. Spanish words
Data Source

Wiktionary (via kaikki.org), licensed under CC BY-SA & GFDL. Word ordering uses an open word-frequency list; misspelling variants are generated by edit-distance from the correct headword.

Source: Wiktionary (via kaikki.org) Structured Wiktionary extract

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list FrequencyWords open word-frequency list