gerbillo
/xeɾbiʝo/from spelling rulesmasculine
The Spanish word for gerbil is gerbillo. Wiktionary also lists gerbil and merión.
Meaning: small rodent (noun)
Ways to say it
| Spanish | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| gerbillo | /xeɾbiʝo/ (from spelling rules) | masculine |
| gerbil | /xeɾbil/ (from spelling rules) | masculine |
| merión | /meɾjon/ (from spelling rules) | masculine |
This noun refers to the small rodent known as a gerbil.
Which one should you use?
gerbillo is the most common way to refer to this animal.
How does it change in a sentence?
All provided forms are masculine nouns.
How do you pronounce it?
/xeɾbiʝo/
Did you know?
- Spanish uses the diminutive suffix in gerbillo to denote smallness, even though the animal is already small by definition.
- Spanish speakers often categorize gerbillos under the broader term animales exóticos in veterinary contexts, even though they are common household pets.
- While gerbillo is the standard term, the word merión is often reserved for the wild species native to North Africa and Asia, distinguishing a wild animal from a pet.
Examples in context
- El ratón de Mongolia es un roedor interesante para estudiar en el laboratorio.The gerbil is an interesting rodent to study in the laboratory.
- El gerbillo es muy pequeño.The gerbil is very small.
- Tengo un gerbillo de color blanco.I have a white gerbil.
- ¿Dónde compraste ese gerbillo?Where did you buy that gerbil?
Example conversation
Lucía and Alejandro are at a pet store looking at animals.
- LucíaMira ese gerbillo, es adorable.Look at that gerbil, it is adorable.
- AlejandroSí, el gerbillo corre muy rápido.Yes, the gerbil runs very fast.
- LucíaAlejandro, ¿quieres comprar uno?Alejandro, do you want to buy one?
- AlejandroNo, es demasiado pequeño para mí.No, it is too small for me.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “gerbil” translations, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- IPA marked “from spelling rules” is derived from standard Spanish spelling, where Wiktionary gives none.
