pájaro
everyday
A bird in Mexico is a pájaro in everyday talk. Ave is the broader and more formal word, and a small bird is a pajarito.
Meaning: a flying animal with feathers (noun)
Ways to say it
| Mexican | Note |
|---|---|
| pájaro | everyday |
| ave | standard |
| pajarito | diminutive |
You say pájaro for the bird you see in a tree or a cage. Ave appears in school, nature books and news, as in aves migratorias for "migratory birds".
Which one should you use?
In Mexican Spanish pájaro can also be slang for a man's private part, so speakers sometimes prefer ave or pajarito in careful speech.
Did you know?
- The hummingbird is a very Mexican bird and is called colibrí or chuparrosa in Mexico.
Examples in context
- Hay un pájaro en el árbol.There is a bird in the tree.
- Las aves llegan en invierno.The birds arrive in winter.
- Vi un pajarito en la ventana.I saw a little bird on the window.
Example conversation
Elena and her son Tomás watch the garden from the window.
- TomásMamá, mira ese pájaro.Mom, look at that bird.
- ElenaEs un colibrí, qué bonito.It is a hummingbird, how pretty.
- Tomás¿Qué come?What does it eat?
