chicharra
/t͡ʃiˈt͡ʃara/Latin America, feminine
The Spanish word for cicada is chicharra. Wiktionary also lists coyuyo.
Meaning: any of several insects of the order Hemiptera (noun)
Ways to say it
| Spanish | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| chicharra | /t͡ʃiˈt͡ʃara/ | Latin America, feminine |
| coyuyo | /koʝuʝo/ (from spelling rules) | Northwestern Argentina, masculine |
The term refers to any of several insects belonging to the order Hemiptera.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In Northwestern Argentina, the masculine form coyuyo is used to refer to a cicada.
How does it change in a sentence?
The plural form of chicharra is las chicharras.
How do you pronounce it?
/tʃiˈtʃara/
Did you know?
- The word chicharra is an onomatopoeia designed to mimic the loud, buzzing sound the insect makes.
- Spanish has two different words for the same insect, cigarra and chicharra, which are actually 'doublets' from the same Latin root.
- In many Spanish-speaking regions, chicharra also refers to a loud, shrill alarm or a handheld rattle used to make noise.
Examples in context
- Las chicharras son comunes durante los meses de verano.Cicadas are common during the summer months.
- Mi hijo se divierte buscando chicharritas en los árboles.My son enjoys searching for cicadas in the trees.
- La cigarra es un insecto conocido por su característico sonido.The cicada is an insect known for its distinctive sound.
- La chicharra hace mucho ruido.The cicada makes a lot of noise.
- Escuché una chicharra en el jardín.I heard a cicada in the garden.
- Esa chicharra es muy grande.That cicada is very big.
Example conversation
Javier and Sofía are sitting in a park on a hot afternoon.
- Javier¿Escuchas esa chicharra?Do you hear that cicada?
- SofíaSí, es muy fuerte.Yes, it is very loud.
- JavierSofía, me molesta el ruido.Sofía, the noise bothers me.
- SofíaEs normal con este calor.It is normal with this heat.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “cicada” translations and entries chicharra, 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 chicharra, CC BY-SA 4.0.
