cara de payaso
/kaɾa de paʝaso/from spelling rules
The English phrase "clown face" is translated into Spanish as cara de payaso.
The phrase cara de payaso refers to the face of a clown, which typically features colorful makeup.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase is composed of cara (face), de (of) and payaso (clown).
How does it change in a sentence?
To express the plural "clown faces", you pluralize the noun cara to caras while keeping payaso in its singular form to act as a descriptor, resulting in caras de payaso.
How do you pronounce it?
/kaɾa de paʝaso/
Did you know?
- In many Spanish-speaking cultures, describing someone as having a cara de payaso can be a way to call them a fool or suggest they are not being serious.
- The word payaso comes from the Italian pagliaccio, which originally referred to straw. This is because early clowns often wore costumes stuffed with straw or performed on straw-covered floors.
Example conversation
A boy is playing dress-up at a party.
- María¿Te gusta tu cara de payaso, Daniel?Do you like your clown face, Daniel?
- DanielSí, es muy divertida.Yes, it is very funny.
- MaríaTe ves muy gracioso con ella.You look very funny with it.
- DanielGracias, María.Thanks, María.
Sources
- IPA marked “from spelling rules” is derived from standard Spanish spelling, where Wiktionary gives none.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries cara, de, payaso, CC BY-SA 4.0.
