pantalones vaqueros
/pantalones bakeɾos/from spelling rules
To say denim jeans in Spanish, use pantalones vaqueros.
pantalones vaqueros is the standard name for jeans made of denim. In everyday talk many people shorten it to vaqueros.
What does it mean word for word?
pantalones means trousers, and vaqueros comes from the word for cowboy, since jeans were cowboy work clothes.
How does it change in a sentence?
Like jeans in English, the phrase is plural, even when you talk about one pair.
How do you pronounce it?
The IPA is /pantalones bakeɾos/. The v in vaqueros sounds like a soft b.
Did you know?
- In Mexico and several other Latin American countries, you will hear pantalones de mezclilla instead of vaqueros. The word mezclilla refers to the blended weave of the denim fabric.
- The word vaquero is a cognate of the English word 'vacant' in an ancient sense, as both derive from the Latin 'vacca' meaning 'cow'.
- While vaqueros refers to cowboys in Spain, in some Latin American regions the word for cowboy is gaucho or llanero, yet they may still use vaqueros specifically to describe the garment.
Examples in context
- Me gustan estos pantalones vaqueros.I like these denim jeans.
- ¿Dónde compraste tus pantalones vaqueros?Where did you buy your denim jeans?
- Necesito unos pantalones vaqueros nuevos.I need some new denim jeans.
Example conversation
In a clothing store.
- Daniel¿Te gustan estos pantalones vaqueros, Elena?Do you like these denim jeans, Elena?
- ElenaSí, son muy bonitos.Yes, they are very pretty.
- DanielA mí también me encantan.I love them too.
- ElenaDeberías comprarlos, Daniel.You should buy them, Daniel.
Sources
- IPA marked “from spelling rules” is derived from standard Spanish spelling, where Wiktionary gives none.
