Gemstones in Different Languages
Explore 28 gemstone names in Spanish, French, Italian, Portuguese, Catalan, Romanian and Galician. Open the jewel vault, inspect realistic faceted gems, compare their names, build your own multilingual collection and test yourself.
Open the Jewel Vault
Tap any gemstone below to inspect it and reveal its names across seven languages.
Explore a gemstone
Select a gemstone in the vault or gallery to inspect it and see its names side by side in seven Romance languages.
Diamond
Diamond across seven Romance languages
Use the speaker buttons to hear a browser-generated pronunciation when a suitable voice is available.
Explore all 28 gemstones
Search by English name or translation. Change the language to display that translation on every gemstone card.
Compare two gemstones
Choose any pair and compare their names across all seven languages.
Build your multilingual gem collection
Add up to five gemstones, choose a language and reveal the names in your personal collection.
Gemstone language challenge
Can you identify the gemstone from its translated name?
All gemstone names in one table
Use this crawlable reference to compare all 28 gemstone names across the seven languages.
| English | Spanish | French | Italian | Portuguese | Catalan | Romanian | Galician |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Diamond | diamante | diamant | diamante | diamante | diamant | diamant | diamante |
| Ruby | rubí | rubis | rubino | rubi | robí | rubin | rubí |
| Emerald | esmeralda | émeraude | smeraldo | esmeralda | maragda | smarald | esmeralda |
| Sapphire | zafiro | saphir | zaffiro | safira | safir | safir | zafiro |
| Amethyst | amatista | améthyste | ametista | ametista | ametista | ametist | amatista |
| Topaz | topacio | topaze | topazio | topázio | topazi | topaz | topacio |
| Opal | ópalo | opale | opale | opala | òpal | opal | ópalo |
| Aquamarine | aguamarina | aigue-marine | acquamarina | água-marinha | aiguamarina | acvamarin | augamarina |
| Garnet | granate | grenat | granato | granada | granat | granat | granate |
| Turquoise | turquesa | turquoise | turchese | turquesa | turquesa | turcoaz | turquesa |
| Peridot | peridoto | péridot | peridoto | peridoto | peridot | peridot | peridoto |
| Citrine | citrino | citrine | citrino | citrino | citrí | citrin | citrino |
| Onyx | ónice | onyx | onice | ônix | ònix | onix | ónix |
| Jade | jade | jade | giada | jade | jade | jad | xade |
| Moonstone | piedra de luna | pierre de lune | pietra di luna | pedra-da-lua | pedra de lluna | piatra lunii | pedra da lúa |
| Lapis lazuli | lapislázuli | lapis-lazuli | lapislazzuli | lápis-lazúli | lapislàtzuli | lapis lazuli | lapislázuli |
| Quartz | cuarzo | quartz | quarzo | quartzo | quars | cuarț | cuarzo |
| Rose quartz | cuarzo rosa | quartz rose | quarzo rosa | quartzo rosa | quars rosa | cuarț roz | cuarzo rosa |
| Smoky quartz | cuarzo ahumado | quartz fumé | quarzo fumé | quartzo fumê | quars fumat | cuarț fumuriu | cuarzo afumado |
| Tourmaline | turmalina | tourmaline | tormalina | turmalina | turmalina | turmalină | turmalina |
| Spinel | espinela | spinelle | spinello | espinela | espinel·la | spinel | espinela |
| Zircon | circón | zircon | zircone | zircão | zircó | zircon | circón |
| Amber | ámbar | ambre | ambra | âmbar | ambre | chihlimbar | ámbar |
| Pearl | perla | perle | perla | pérola | perla | perlă | perla |
| Malachite | malaquita | malachite | malachite | malaquita | malaquita | malachit | malaquita |
| Agate | ágata | agate | agata | ágata | àgata | agat | ágata |
| Obsidian | obsidiana | obsidienne | ossidiana | obsidiana | obsidiana | obsidian | obsidiana |
| Alexandrite | alejandrita | alexandrite | alessandrite | alexandrita | alexandrita | alexandrit | alexandrita |
Gemstone language patterns to notice
Gemstone vocabulary is especially rich in international words, old trade routes and a few memorable outliers.
Spanish, Italian, Portuguese and Galician use diamante, while French, Catalan and Romanian use diamant.
Esmeralda dominates Iberian forms, while Italian smeraldo, Catalan maragda and Romanian smarald show striking sound changes.
Most languages use a form related to ámbar/ambre/ambra, while Romanian commonly uses chihlimbar.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do you say “gemstone” in the seven languages?
Spanish: piedra preciosa; French: pierre précieuse; Italian: pietra preziosa; Portuguese: pedra preciosa; Catalan: pedra preciosa; Romanian: piatră prețioasă; Galician: pedra preciosa.
How do you say “diamond” in Romance languages?
Spanish, Italian, Portuguese and Galician use diamante; French, Catalan and Romanian use diamant.
Why are many gemstone names so similar?
Many gem names travelled internationally through trade, jewellery, science and mineralogy. That means the Romance languages often share closely related learned or borrowed forms even where everyday vocabulary differs more strongly.
Are gemstone and mineral names always the same thing?
No. A gemstone is a material valued for beauty and use in jewellery or ornament, while a mineral is defined by its geological and chemical properties. Some gems, such as amber and pearl, are not minerals at all.