cocodrilo
/kokoˈdɾilo/masculine
The Spanish word for crocodile is cocodrilo.
cocodrilo refers to the reptile.
Meaning: reptile (noun)
Which one should you use?
Cocodrilón is a playful and exaggerated way to describe a big crocodile.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In Colombia, the term Babilla is commonly used to specifically refer to spectacled caimans or smaller crocodile species.
How does it change in a sentence?
cocodrilo is a masculine noun.
How do you pronounce it?
/kokoˈdɾilo/
Did you know?
- In Spanish, lágrimas de cocodrilo is a common idiom used to describe fake tears or insincere grief.
- The word cocodrilo is a hyperthetic form, meaning it was slightly altered from the Latin crocodīlus to better fit Spanish pronunciation.
- While cocodrilo is the general term, in many parts of Latin America, people use caimán to describe many similar-looking reptiles that are not true crocodiles.
Examples in context
- Te veo luego, cocodrilo.After a while, crocodile.This example shows the use of cocodrilo in a playful parting phrase.Tatoeba #1324329 by marcelostockle, translation #8227848 by Adelpa
- Un cocodrilo se comió a Tom.A crocodile has eaten Tom.This sentence shows cocodrilo as the subject of an action.Tatoeba #1254421 by Shishir, translation #1253622 by Tlustulimu
- Un cocodrilo se comió a Tomás.A crocodile ate Thomas.Tatoeba #4505680 by cueyayotl, translation #1255273 by kalogrenant
- Necesito investigar más acerca del cocodrilo antes de visitar el zoológico.I need to research more about the crocodile before visiting the zoo.
- 16 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Elena and Javier are looking at animals in a zoo.
- Elena¡Mira ese cocodrilo tan grande!Look at that huge crocodile!
- JavierEs increíble, tiene unos dientes enormes.It is incredible, it has enormous teeth.
- ElenaMe pregunto si el cocodrilo es peligroso.I wonder if the crocodile is dangerous.
- JavierSí, por eso está detrás de la valla.Yes, that is why it is behind the fence.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “crocodile” translations and entries cocodrilo, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries cocodrilo, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
