oruga
/oˈɾuɡa/feminine
The English word caterpillar is oruga in Spanish. Wiktionary also lists cuncuna and revoltón.
Meaning: larva of a butterfly or moth (noun)
Ways to say it
| Spanish | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| oruga | /oˈɾuɡa/ | feminine |
| cuncuna | /kunˈkuna/ | Chile, feminine |
| revoltón | /rebolton/ (from spelling rules) | masculine |
| teña | /teɲa/ (from spelling rules) | feminine |
The term refers to the larva of a butterfly or moth.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In Chile, the word cuncuna is used to refer to a caterpillar.
How does it change in a sentence?
The noun oruga is feminine and requires the feminine article la. The plural of the standard term oruga is orugas.
How do you pronounce it?
/oˈɾuɡa/
Did you know?
- The English word 'arugula' actually shares the same ancient root as the Spanish word oruga, both stemming from a word meaning 'to bristle'.
- The Chilean word cuncuna is not of Spanish origin, but was borrowed from Mapudungun, the language of the indigenous Mapuche people.
- In some Spanish-speaking regions, the term revoltón is used to describe a caterpillar, a word that sounds more like 'rebellion' or 'tumult' than a larva.
Examples in context
- La oruga ya había comenzado a hilar su capullo.The caterpillar had already started spinning its cocoon.This sentence is useful for seeing how to describe a caterpillar spinning its cocoon using oruga.Tatoeba #13658247 by Seael, translation #13658634 by araneo
- Esta oruga se convertirá en una hermosa mariposa.This caterpillar will become a beautiful butterfly.This sentence shows how to describe a caterpillar turning into a butterfly using oruga.Tatoeba #1065031 by hayastan, translation #60274 by CK
- Davy dejó caer la oruga sobre el cuello de Lauretta.Davy dropped the caterpillar down Lauretta's neck.This sentence demonstrates the use of oruga in a sentence involving dropping a caterpillar.Tatoeba #7917530 by Seael, translation #6008823 by Hybrid
- La oruga se transforma en mariposa.The caterpillar transforms into a butterfly.
- 6 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Elena and Daniel are looking at a garden plant.
- ElenaMira, hay una oruga en esta hoja.Look, there is a caterpillar on this leaf.
- DanielEs muy pequeña y verde.It is very small and green.
- ElenaSeguro será una mariposa muy linda.I'm sure it will be a very pretty butterfly.
- DanielSí, la oruga come mucho ahora.Yes, the caterpillar is eating a lot now.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “caterpillar” translations and entries oruga, cuncuna, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- IPA marked “from spelling rules” is derived from standard Spanish spelling, where Wiktionary gives none.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries cuncuna, oruga, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
