Ave
/abe/from spelling rules
The Spanish word Ave means bird.
The term refers to a bird or a feathered animal that flies. In religious contexts, it is also used as a formal greeting meaning "Hail", such as in the phrase Ave María.
Which one should you use?
While Ave refers to a bird, it is a more formal or scientific term compared to the common conversational word pájaro. Additionally, pajarito is an informal way to refer specifically to a small bird.
How do you pronounce it?
/abe/
When do people say it?
In a religious setting, Ave serves as a formal greeting meaning "Hail".
Did you know?
- In Spanish, the term ave is used more broadly than pájaro because it includes flightless birds like ostriches and penguins.
- The word ave is a direct descendant of the Latin word avis, which also gave English the word 'aviation'.
- In some Spanish-speaking regions, the greeting Ave is almost exclusively associated with the Virgin Mary and would sound jarring or overly dramatic if used as a standard greeting to a person.
Examples in context
- La famosa canción "Ave María" fue compuesta por Schubert.The famous song "Ave Maria" was composed by Schubert.This example shows the use of Ave in the name of a famous song.Tatoeba #3095989 by marcelostockle, translation #2929486 by Hybrid
- Hay un suplemento de veinticinco euros para el AVE.There is a 25 euro supplement for the high speed AVE train.This example shows the use of AVE as a name for a high speed train.Tatoeba #463079 by lukaszpp, translation #463078 by lukaszpp
- Mira el pajarito que está en el nidoLook at the little bird in the nest
- Vi un pájaro de colores en el parqueI saw a colorful bird in the park
- Esa ave tiene plumas de colores brillantes.That bird has brightly colored feathers.
Example conversation
Elena and Daniel are looking at a park.
- ElenaMira esa ave azul en el árbol.Look at that blue bird in the tree.
- DanielEs muy bonita, ¿qué especie es?It is very beautiful, what species is it?
- ElenaNo lo sé, pero es un ave rara.I don't know, but it is a rare bird.
- DanielVoy a buscarla en mi libro.I am going to look for it in my book.
Sources
- IPA marked “from spelling rules” is derived from standard Spanish spelling, where Wiktionary gives none.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries ave, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
