tiburón duende
/tibuɾon dwende/from spelling rules
The English phrase 'goblin shark' is tiburón duende in Spanish. Wiktionary also lists tiburón trasgo.
Meaning: Mitsukurina owstoni (noun)
Ways to say it
| Spanish | IPA |
|---|---|
| tiburón duende | /tibuɾon dwende/ (from spelling rules) |
| tiburón trasgo | /tibuɾon tɾasɡo/ (from spelling rules) |
The term refers to the species Mitsukurina owstoni.
What does it mean word for word?
The term tiburón duende is a literal translation where tiburón means shark and duende means goblin or sprite.
Which one should you use?
Tiburón trasgo is a synonym for tiburón duende, but it uses trasgo (a type of goblin or imp) instead of duende.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In certain Latin American countries, people might use the term tiburón goblin.
Did you know?
- In Spanish culture, duende is not just a creature but a term used in flamenco to describe a mysterious, soulful power or artistic charisma.
- The word tiburón is related to the Taíno word tiburo and the Quechua word tiwrun.
- While duende and trasgo both translate to 'goblin', a duende is often seen as a helpful house spirit while a trasgo is typically a malicious prankster.
Examples in context
- Amigo, el tiburón duende es una especie fascinante. ¿Sabías que su aspecto peculiar y sus mandíbulas extensibles lo hacen parecer como un verdadero duende en el agua?Friend, the goblin shark is a fascinating species. Did you know that its peculiar appearance and extendable jaws make it look like a true goblin in the water?
- El tiburón duende es un animal muy extraño.The goblin shark is a very strange animal.
- Vi un tiburón duende en el documental.I saw a goblin shark in the documentary.
- ¿Sabías que el tiburón duende vive en lo profundo?Did you know the goblin shark lives in the deep?
Example conversation
Lucía and Alejandro are at an aquarium.
- Lucía¡Mira, Alejandro, un tiburón duende!Look, Alejandro, a goblin shark!
- AlejandroEs increíble, Lucía, tiene un color rosa.It is incredible, Lucía, it has a pink color.
- LucíaSu boca se mueve de forma muy rara.Its mouth moves in a very strange way.
- AlejandroSí, es un pez de pesadilla.Yes, it is a nightmare fish.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “goblin shark” 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.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries duende, tiburón, trasgo, CC BY-SA 4.0.
