cucuy
/kukui/from spelling rules
cucuy is the Spanish word for the boogeyman.
The phrase is most commonly used in an informal context by parents to warn children. It refers to a mythical monster used to frighten children into behaving.
How does it change in a sentence?
The noun is masculine and is typically preceded by the definite article el, as in el cucuy.
How do you pronounce it?
/kukui/
When do people say it?
In many Spanish-speaking cultures, el cucuy is a generic bogeyman figure used as a cautionary tale to ensure children obey their parents.
Did you know?
- While el cucuy is common in Latin America, people in Spain are much more likely to use el coco, a figure whose name is linked to the word for 'skull'.
- In some folk traditions, el cucuy is believed to be a creature that feeds on the disobedience of children, making the 'sin' of misbehaving the actual attractant for the monster.
- Because it is a shadow figure, the term is sometimes used metaphorically in adult conversation to describe an unknown or looming threat that causes anxiety.
Examples in context
- El niño tiene miedo del cucuy.The boy is afraid of the cucuy.
- No te portes mal o vendrá el cucuy.Don't misbehave or the cucuy will come.
- Mi abuela siempre me hablaba del cucuy.My grandmother always told me about the cucuy.
Example conversation
A mother is trying to get her son to go to sleep.
- SofíaMateo, ya es hora de dormir.Mateo, it is time to sleep.
- MateoNo quiero, tengo miedo del cucuy.I don't want to, I am afraid of the cucuy.
- SofíaNo te preocupes, el cucuy no vendrá.Don't worry, the cucuy won't come.
- MateoEntonces me voy a la cama.Then I am going to bed.
Sources
- IPA marked “from spelling rules” is derived from standard Spanish spelling, where Wiktionary gives none.
