cactus
standard
In Mexican Spanish a cactus is a cactus, and the plural is also cactus or cactos. Mexicans also use specific names such as nopal for the prickly pear and biznaga for the barrel cactus.
Meaning: spiny desert plant (noun)
Ways to say it
| Spanish | Note |
|---|---|
| cactus | standard |
| nopal | Mexico, prickly pear |
| biznaga | Mexico, barrel cactus |
Nopal is both a plant and food. The flat pads are cooked as nopales, for example in a salad or with eggs.
How does it change in a sentence?
Cactus is masculine: un cactus, los cactus.
When do people say it?
The nopal appears in the eagle scene on the Mexican flag, so it is a national symbol as well as a plant.
Did you know?
- The Mexican coat of arms shows an eagle standing on a nopal while eating a snake.
Examples in context
- Puse un cactus en la ventana.I put a cactus on the window.
- Hoy hay ensalada de nopales.Today there is nopal salad.
- Ten cuidado, ese cactus tiene espinas.Be careful, that cactus has spines.
Example conversation
Carmen and her grandson Mateo walk through a garden in San Luis Potosí.
- MateoAbuela, ¿cómo se llama esta planta?Grandma, what is this plant called?
- CarmenEs un nopal, mijo.It is a nopal, dear.
- Mateo¿Y se puede comer?And can you eat it?
