mosquito
/mosˈkito/masculine
The English word 'gnat' is translated into Spanish as mosquito. Wiktionary also lists jején.
Meaning: any small insect of the order Diptera (noun)
Ways to say it
| Spanish | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| mosquito | /mosˈkito/ | masculine |
| jején | /xeˈxen/ | masculine |
The term refers to any small insect of the order Diptera. While mosquito is the most common word for any small biting fly, it specifically refers to the mosquito species.
Which one should you use?
mosquito is the general term for a mosquito, whereas jején is used specifically for much smaller, non-mosquito biting flies like midges or gnats.
How does it change in a sentence?
Both mosquito and jején are masculine nouns.
How do you pronounce it?
/mosˈkito/
Did you know?
- The word mosquito is a linguistic doublet of mosquete, the Spanish word for 'musket'. Both words derive from the same root but evolved to describe very different things.
- The word mosquito is formed by adding the diminutive suffix -ito to mosca, literally meaning 'little fly'.
- While jején is the precise term for a midge or gnat, in some Caribbean dialects, it is used more broadly to describe any tiny, irritating pest.
Example sentences for Spanish are not verified yet.
Example conversation
Lucía and Alejandro are sitting in a park.
- LucíaMira, hay un mosquito volando aquí.Look, there is a gnat flying here.
- AlejandroNo lo veo, ¿dónde está?I don't see it, where is it?
- LucíaEstá justo delante de tu nariz.It is right in front of your nose.
- Alejandro¡Ah, ya lo vi! Qué mosquito tan molesto.Ah, I see it now! What an annoying gnat.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “gnat” translations and entries mosquito, jején, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries mosquito, CC BY-SA 4.0.
