pez payaso
/ˌpeθ paˈʝaso/
The English phrase clown fish is translated into Spanish as pez payaso.
The term refers to the clown fish.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase is composed of pez (fish) and payaso (clown).
How does it change in a sentence?
To make the phrase plural, only the noun pez changes to peces, while the adjective payaso remains singular.
How do you pronounce it?
/ˌpeθ paˈʝaso/
Did you know?
- In Spanish, the word pez refers to a living fish in the water, whereas pescado refers to a fish that has been caught for food.
- The word payaso shares an ancestor with the English word 'pallet'. Both come from the Latin palea meaning 'chaff' or 'straw' because early clowns wore costumes stuffed with straw.
- While pez payaso is the standard term, Spanish speakers sometimes refer to these animals as peces anemona because of their symbiotic relationship with sea anemones.
Examples in context
- El pez payaso es famoso por su relación simbiótica con las anémonas marinas.The clown fish is famous for its symbiotic relationship with sea anemones.
- En el acuario, observé un hermoso pez anémona nadando entre las rocas.In the aquarium, I observed a beautiful anemone fish swimming among the rocks.
- El pez payaso es muy colorido.The clown fish is very colorful.
- Vi un pez payaso en el acuario.I saw a clown fish in the aquarium.
- ¿Tienes un pez payaso en tu pecera?Do you have a clown fish in your fish tank?
Example conversation
Daniel and Elena are visiting an aquarium.
- DanielMira ese pez payaso, Elena.Look at that clown fish, Elena.
- ElenaEs muy bonito, Daniel.It is very pretty, Daniel.
- DanielMe gustaría tener uno en casa.I would like to have one at home.
- ElenaSería un pez payaso muy especial.It would be a very special clown fish.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry pez payaso, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries payaso, pez, CC BY-SA 4.0.
