jaula
/ˈxaula/feminine
The Spanish word for cage is jaula. Wiktionary also lists gayola.
Meaning: enclosure (noun)
Ways to say it
| Spanish | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| jaula | /ˈxaula/ | feminine |
| gayola | /ɡaˈʝola/ | feminine |
jaula is the standard noun used to describe an enclosure for an animal. If you need to describe the action of putting an animal into a cage, you can use the verb enjaular.
Which one should you use?
jaula is the standard term for any cage, whereas gayola refers specifically to a large enclosure or pen used for livestock.
Is it said differently in some regions?
gayola is a term used in certain regions, particularly in Mexico, to refer to large livestock enclosures.
Related words
How does it change in a sentence?
The verb enjaular is formed by adding the prefix en- and the suffix -ar to the noun jaula.
How do you pronounce it?
/ˈxaula/
Did you know?
- In Spanish, the phrase 'estoy en una jaula de oro' describes someone who has every material luxury but no personal freedom.
- In some contexts, enjaular is used figuratively in Spanish to describe feeling trapped or stifled in a relationship or job.
- The word jaula shares a distant linguistic ancestor with the English word 'jail'.
Examples in context
- La jaula está vacía.The cage is empty.This sentence is useful for describing the state of a jaula.Tatoeba #9554259 by Shishir, translation #4498264 by CK
- Tomás abrió la jaula.Tom opened the cage.This sentence is useful for describing an action involving a jaula.Tatoeba #4784087 by alegarvid, translation #2991602 by pne
- La jaula está abierta.The cage is open.Tatoeba #4804648 by DarkHollow, translation #3413048 by CK
- Tenemos una jaula grande para nuestro periquito.We have a large cage for our budgie.
- Mi sobrina tiene una jaulita para su hámster.My niece has a small cage for her hamster.
- Nuestro zoológico tiene un jaulón donde viven los monos.Our zoo has a large cage where the monkeys live.
- Tenemos una jaula grande para nuestro loro.We have a large cage for our parrot.
- He comprado una jaulita para mi canario.I bought a small cage for my canary.
- El tigre se encuentra en un jaulón bastante grande.The tiger is in a rather large cage.
- Los visitantes pueden observar a los pájaros en el jaulón del aviario.Visitors can observe the birds in the aviary's cage.
- 33 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Lucía and Mateo are looking at a bird in a pet store.
- LucíaEsta jaula es muy pequeña.This cage is very small.
- MateoTienes razón, Lucía. Busquemos otra.You are right, Lucía. Let's look for another one.
- LucíaMira esa jaula grande de allí.Look at that big cage over there.
- MateoEsa es perfecta para el pájaro.That one is perfect for the bird.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “cage” translations and entries jaula, gayola, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries gayola, jaula, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
