Ways to say it
| Spanish | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| abejorro | /abeˈxoro/ | masculine |
| abejarrón | /abexaˈron/ | masculine |
| abejón | /abeˈxon/ | masculine |
| moscardón | /moskaɾˈdon/ | Chile, masculine |
| jicote | /xiˈkote/ | Mexico, masculine |
The term is used to refer to the genus of bees commonly known as bumblebees. Note that while abejorro specifically refers to a bumblebee, the word abeja is used for a general bee.
Which one should you use?
The term abejorro is the specific name for a bumblebee. In contrast, abejarrón and abejón are both augmentative forms of the word abeja (bee). abejarrón is used to describe a particularly large bee, while abejón is often used to describe a large, heavy-bodied bee or a bumblebee.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In Spain, abejón is used for bumblebee and is interchangeable with abejorro. In Chile, the word moscardón is used for a bumblebee or a large biting fly. In Mexico, jicote is used to refer to certain types of bees or bumblebees.
How does it change in a sentence?
All the forms provided for this term are masculine nouns.
How do you pronounce it?
/abeˈxoro/
Did you know?
- While abejorro is the standard term, the word moscardón is often used to describe a person who is a persistent nuisance or a constant source of annoyance, much like a biting fly.
- The word moscardón originates from mosca, meaning 'fly', showing that in some regions, bumblebees are linguistically grouped with flies rather than bees.
- If you call someone an abejarrón in a playful way, you are essentially calling them a 'giant bee', often implying they are large or bulky.
Examples in context
- Me despertó el zumbido de un abejorro.I was woken up by the buzzing of a bumblebee.This sentence is useful for hearing how the buzzing of an abejorro is described.Tatoeba #1319557 by gleOsp, translation #10112765 by DJ_Saidez
- El zángano polinizó la flor mientras el abejorro zumbaba a su alrededor.The drone bee pollinated the flower while the bumblebee buzzed around it.
- Anoche vi un abejorro muy grande en mi jardín. Era impresionante.Last night, I saw a very large bumblebee in my garden. It was impressive.
- Vi un abejorro en las flores.I saw a bumblebee in the flowers.
- El abejorro es muy grande.The bumblebee is very large.
Example conversation
A garden in the afternoon.
- Elena¡Mira ese abejorro tan grande!Look at that huge bumblebee!
- JavierEs un abejorro muy bonito.It is a very pretty bumblebee.
- ElenaNo le tengas miedo, Javier.Don't be afraid of it, Javier.
- JavierEstá bien, solo lo observo.It's okay, I'm just watching it.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “bumblebee” translations and entries abejorro, abejarrón, abejón, moscardón, jicote, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries abejarrón, abejorro, abejón, moscardón, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
