ballena jorobada
/baˌʝena xoɾoˈbada/feminine
The English phrase 'humpback whale' is translated into Spanish as ballena jorobada. Wiktionary also lists yubarta and megáptera.
Meaning: Megaptera novaeangliae (noun)
Ways to say it
| Spanish | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| ballena jorobada | /baˌʝena xoɾoˈbada/ | feminine |
| yubarta | /ʝuˈbaɾta/ | feminine |
| megáptera | /meɡabteɾa/ (from spelling rules) | feminine |
| gabarte | /ɡabaɾte/ (from spelling rules) | feminine |
| xibarte | /ɡsibaɾte/ (from spelling rules) | feminine |
All provided terms refer to the species Megaptera novaeangliae.
Which one should you use?
ballena jorobada is the most common way to refer to the species in general conversation. In contrast, megáptera is a technical or scientific term used in biological contexts. yubarta, gabarte and xibarte are also used to name the animal.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
Ballena jorobada is the formal way to say 'humpback whale' in Spanish. For scientific or technical biological contexts, use megáptera.
Is it said differently in some regions?
yubarta is a term used specifically in certain Latin American regions, such as Colombia, often influenced by indigenous languages.
How does it change in a sentence?
All forms of this noun are feminine, so they must be used with feminine articles like la.
How do you pronounce it?
/baˌʝena xoɾoˈbada/
Did you know?
- The word ballena descends from the Ancient Greek word φάλλαινα, which was used to describe these massive sea creatures long before the Latin ballaena became the standard term.
- Because ballena jorobada is always feminine, any adjective describing the whale must also be feminine, even if the whale is physically a male.
Examples in context
- La ballena jorobada emite hermosos cantos.The humpback whale emits beautiful songs.
- La ballena jorobada saltó en el mar.The humpback whale jumped in the sea.
- Vi una ballena jorobada durante el viaje.I saw a humpback whale during the trip.
- Esa ballena jorobada es muy grande.That humpback whale is very big.
Example conversation
Daniel and Lucía are watching a nature documentary on TV.
- Daniel¿Viste esa ballena jorobada, Lucía?Did you see that humpback whale, Lucía?
- LucíaSí, es una ballena jorobada impresionante.Yes, it is an impressive humpback whale.
- DanielMe encanta observar a la ballena jorobada.I love observing the humpback whale.
- LucíaDaniel, es un animal realmente hermoso.Daniel, it is a truly beautiful animal.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “humpback whale” translations and entries ballena jorobada, yubarta, 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 ballena, yubarta, CC BY-SA 4.0.
