gran felino
/ɡɾan felino/from spelling rules
In Spanish, the phrase for big cat is gran felino.
The term gran felino is used to refer to any large feline animal. It is a descriptive and often scientific way to identify these animals.
Meaning: any large feline animal (noun)
Which one should you use?
Using gran felino is more scientific or descriptive than saying gato grande. The latter sounds as if you are describing a large domestic house cat rather than a wild animal.
How does it change in a sentence?
To say 'the big cat', use the definite article el before the phrase to get el gran felino. When expressing the plural 'big cats', use grandes felinos, where both the adjective and the noun take the plural suffix -es or -s.
How do you pronounce it?
/ɡɾan felino/
Did you know?
- Depending on the position of the adjective, gran felino acts as a formal classification, while felino grande simply describes an animal's physical size.
- The word gran is an apocopic form, having dropped its final syllable from the original Old Spanish grande. This shortening is a common linguistic feature in Spanish, seen in other words like primer and san.
- Spanish speakers will almost always use specific names like tigre or león instead of a general phrase for 'big cat' in everyday conversation.
Examples in context
- Los expertos han divisado un gran felino en la reserva natural.Experts have spotted a big cat in the nature reserve.
- He visto un gato grande paseando por el vecindario.I saw a big cat strolling around the neighborhood.
- ¡Mira ese felino gigante! Parece que va a devorar todo a su paso.Look at that big cat! It looks like it's going to devour everything in its path.
- El jaguar es un gran felino.The jaguar is a big cat.
- Vimos a un gran felino en el documental.We saw a big cat in the documentary.
- Ese gran felino corre muy rápido.That big cat runs very fast.
Example conversation
Daniel and Lucía are visiting a zoo.
- DanielMira ese gran felino, Lucía.Look at that big cat, Lucía.
- LucíaEs un jaguar muy hermoso.It is a very beautiful jaguar.
- DanielParece que tiene mucha fuerza.It seems like it has a lot of strength.
- LucíaSí, es el gran felino más fuerte.Yes, it is the strongest big cat.
Sources
- IPA marked “from spelling rules” is derived from standard Spanish spelling, where Wiktionary gives none.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries felino, gran, CC BY-SA 4.0.
