caballo
standard, Mexico
In Mexico a horse is a caballo. A female horse is a yegua and a young horse is a potro. The word is the same as in the rest of the Spanish-speaking world.
Meaning: animal (noun)
Ways to say it
| Mexican | Note |
|---|---|
| caballo | standard, Mexico |
| Yegua | female horse |
| Potro | young horse |
Mexicans use caballo in many everyday contexts, from rodeos called charreadas to the saying a caballo regalado no se le ve el colmillo.
How do you pronounce it?
Say caballo as "kah-BAH-yo". In Mexico the ll is a soft "y" sound.
When do people say it?
Horses are central to charrería, the traditional Mexican horsemanship, which UNESCO recognized as intangible cultural heritage in 2016.
Did you know?
- The saying A caballo regalado no se le ve el colmillo means you should not criticize a gift, since you do not check the teeth of a gift horse.
Examples in context
- Mi abuelo tiene un caballo negro.My grandfather has a black horse.
- Vamos a montar a caballo.Let us go horseback riding.
- La yegua tuvo un potro.The mare had a foal.
Example conversation
Tía Elena shows her nephew Pablo the horses at a ranch in Jalisco.
- PabloTía, ¿ese caballo es suyo?Auntie, is that horse yours?
- Tía ElenaSí, se llama Relámpago.Yes, his name is Relámpago.
- Pablo¿Puedo montarlo?Can I ride him?
