Take the 2-minute tour ×  What is the difference between cascada
and catarata as translations for the English "waterfall"? Are
they synonyms, or is there a difference?  share|improve this
question you have the word cataract in English as well.
Cataract, a large, powerful waterfall
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cataract_(disambiguation) –  Elzo Valugi
Jan 19 '12 at 9:45 add comment  4 Answers  up vote 11 down vote
accepted  In some way are synonyms, but catarata is used for big
waterfalls. Of course, this is a subjective difference. For a
waterfall in a little creek you say cascada for sure, but not
catarata. And, for example, the translation of:  Niagara Falls →
Cataratas del Niágara  ¿Son las cataratas del Niágara cascadas?
Sí.  share|improve this answer +1. Exactly what RAE says.
Catarata = cascada o salto grande de agua. So cascada is any
waterfall, whereas catarata are big ones (Niagara, Iguazú,
Victoria...) –  MikMik Jan 18 '12 at 7:01 add comment  Catarata
refers to a large, rushing MASS of falling water. Casca