halcón
/alˈkon/masculine
The English word hawk translates to Spanish as halcón. Wiktionary also lists azor and gavilán.
Meaning: predatory bird of Accipitridae (noun)
Ways to say it
| Spanish | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| halcón | /alˈkon/ | masculine |
| azor | /aˈθoɾ/ /aˈsoɾ/ |
masculine |
| gavilán | /ɡabiˈlan/ | masculine |
The term refers to a predatory bird of the Accipitridae family. In general or non-scientific contexts, halcón is the most common word used to refer to a hawk.
Which one should you use?
While halcón is the general term, the pack also lists azor and gavilán as masculine nouns for types of hawks.
Related words
How does it change in a sentence?
All three forms provided, azor, gavilán and halcón, are masculine nouns.
How do you pronounce it?
/alˈkon/
Did you know?
- The term gavilán likely descends from a Gothic word meaning 'fork', referring to the shape of the bird's talons or its flight path.
- In some Spanish dialects, calling someone a gavilán can be a slang way to describe a person who is very sharp or cunning in their dealings.
- In Spanish folklore and traditional poetry, the halcón is often used as a symbol of nobility and the aristocratic pursuit of falconry.
Examples in context
- El halcón atrapó un ratón.The hawk caught a mouse.This sentence shows how to use halcón to describe a hawk catching a mouse.Tatoeba #968751 by Shishir, translation #810698 by slomox
- El halcón atrapó al ratón.The hawk caught the mouse.This sentence demonstrates the use of halcón when referring to a specific mouse being caught.Tatoeba #10311792 by Seael, translation #10308949 by CK
- El halcón atrapó una rata.The hawk caught a rat.This sentence illustrates the use of halcón in the context of a hawk catching a rat.Tatoeba #10494004 by Seael, translation #2895518 by mervert1
- En mi jardín hay un gavilán que caza ratones.There is a hawk in my garden that hunts mice.
- Observé un gavilote en lo alto de un árbol.I observed a hawk perched high on a tree.
- Los halcones son aves de presa muy hábiles.Hawks are very skillful birds of prey.
- 5 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Mateo and Sofía are walking in a nature reserve.
- Mateo¡Mira allá arriba, Sofía!Look up there, Sofía!
- Sofía¿Es un halcón?Is it a hawk?
- MateoSí, es un halcón enorme.Yes, it is a huge hawk.
- SofíaEs impresionante verlo volar.It is impressive to see it fly.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “hawk” translations and entries halcón, azor, gavilán, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries azor, gavilán, halcón, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
