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Another question I asked made me realize that English has many names for mythical beings. Many of these can refer to both a historical myth or superstition as well as a more modern definition (in fiction, gaming, movies, etc.), but most of them clearly refer to a particular type of mythical creature.

Mythical creatures I can think of would include the following. Do these have direct translations in Spanish? If not, what words for mythical beings exist in Spanish and what types of creatures do they refer to?

  • elf
  • dwarf
  • goblin
  • pixie
  • fairy
  • dragon
  • mermaid
  • unicorn
  • leprechaun
  • centaur
  • gnome
  • orc
  • troll
  • werewolf
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Yes, they all refer to mythical beings and, AFAIK, most of them have direct spanish translations:

Elf: Elfo

Dwarf: Enano

Goblin: Trasgo (Spain) or Trauco (Chile)

Fairy: Hada

Pixie: Pixie (consider a kind of fairy)

Dragon: Dragón

Mermaid: Sirena

Unicorn: Unicornio

Leprechaun: Duende

Centaur: Centauro

Gnome: Gnomo

Orc: Orco

Troll: Trol

Werewolf: Hombre lobo / Licántropo

Other creatures:

Cyclops: Cíclope

Nymph: Ninfa

Chimera: Quimera

Ogre: Ogro

Hobbit: Hobbit

Gremlin: Gremlin

Kraken: Kraken

Golem: Golem

Medusa: Medusa

Damn! I love mythology :)

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  • 1
    +1 for trol (with plural troles like sol,soles). 99% of natives still use troll.
    – pferor
    Dec 30, 2011 at 9:38
  • 2
    +1 Excellent job. I could have not translated many of those to Spanish.
    – Icarus
    Dec 30, 2011 at 15:27
  • 1
    +1 Great answer. I would add 'licántropo' as a translation to werewolf
    – Sergio Cinos
    Feb 10, 2012 at 21:21

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