cangrejo
/kanˈɡɾexo/masculine
The Spanish word for crab is cangrejo. Wiktionary also lists jaiba.
Meaning: crustacean (noun)
Ways to say it
| Spanish | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| cangrejo | /kanˈɡɾexo/ | masculine |
| jaiba | /ˈxaiba/ | feminine |
The term refers to the crustacean. In Spain, if you are speaking formally and want to refer to shellfish in general, including crabs, you can use the term Marisco. For a specific edible variety such as the velvet swimming crab or brown crab, the term Buey de mar is used.
Which one should you use?
While cangrejo is the general term for crab, jaiba is often used in many Latin American coastal regions specifically for certain types of edible crabs or swimming crabs.
Is it said differently in some regions?
Jaiba is a term frequently used in many coastal regions of Latin America.
How does it change in a sentence?
To talk about more than one crab, use the plural forms cangrejos for cangrejo and jaibas for jaiba.
How do you pronounce it?
/kanˈɡɾexo/
Did you know?
- The phrase andar como cangrejo means to move backward or to make no progress in a task.
- While cangrejo is a Romance word, jaiba comes from Taíno, an indigenous language of the Caribbean.
- While cangrejo comes from the Latin cancer, the Spanish word for the illness is also cáncer, though the two are now distinct in common usage.
Examples in context
- ¿Alguien va a comerse este cangrejo?Is anyone going to eat this crab?This sentence shows how to ask if someone intends to eat a cangrejo.Tatoeba #13553508 by Seael, translation #10838970 by Luornu
- ¿Qué es un cangrejo?What is a crab?This sentence is used to ask for a definition of cangrejo.Tatoeba #11155758 by carlosalberto, translation #11155747 by carlosalberto
- Déjame pelar el cangrejo.Let me shell the crab.This sentence illustrates the action of shelling a cangrejo.Tatoeba #12849171 by mexicanhere, translation #3339973 by 8011794255
- El cangrejo que encontré en la playa era enorme.The crab I found on the beach was huge.
- Ayer vi un cangrejito en la orilla. ¡Era tan lindo!Yesterday I saw a little crab on the shore. It was so cute!
- En El Salvador, siempre comemos changarros fritos con tortillas.In El Salvador, we always eat fried crabs with tortillas.
Example conversation
Alejandro and Elena are walking along the beach.
- Alejandro¡Mira ese cangrejo, Elena!Look at that crab, Elena!
- ElenaEs un cangrejo muy bonito.It is a very pretty crab.
- AlejandroSe está escondiendo en un agujero.It is hiding in a hole.
- ElenaAlejandro, no lo toques.Alejandro, do not touch it.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “crab” translations and entries cangrejo, jaiba, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries cangrejo, jaiba, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
