Ways to say it
| Spanish | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| aguamala | /ˌaɡwaˈmala/ | Colombia, Costa Rica, Cuba, Ecuador, Mexico, Nicaragua, Panama, Southern Spain, Venezuela, feminine |
| aguaviva | /aɡwaˈbiba/ | Argentina, Canary Islands, Southern Spain, Uruguay, feminine |
| malagua | /malaɡwa/ (from spelling rules) | Peru, feminine |
| ortiga de mar | /oɾtiɡa de maɾ/ (from spelling rules) | feminine |
| acafelo | /akafelo/ (from spelling rules) | masculine |
| ortiga marina | /oɾtiɡa maɾina/ (from spelling rules) | feminine |
| aguamar | /ˌaɡwaˈmaɾ/ | feminine |
The term is used to describe the aquatic animal known as a jellyfish. While many regional terms exist, the most common, neutral and scientifically accurate term for jellyfish across most of the Spanish-speaking world is medusa.
What does it mean word for word?
The word aguamala is a compound of agua (water) and mala (bad).
Which one should you use?
The different forms used often reflect different conceptual views of the animal. aguamala implies the water is 'bad' (likely due to the sting), while aguaviva implies the water is 'alive'. ortiga de mar is used to describe jellyfish that specifically cause a stinging sensation, similar to the English term 'sea nettle'.
Is it said differently in some regions?
Regional-specific terms include: aguamala in Colombia, Costa Rica, Cuba, Ecuador, Mexico, Nicaragua, Panama, Southern Spain and Venezuela. aguaviva in Argentina, Canary Islands, Southern Spain, Uruguay and parts of the Caribbean like Cuba and Puerto Rico. malagua in Peru and especially in coastal areas of Mexico. And the masculine form acafelo.
How does it change in a sentence?
The term medusa is a feminine noun, so its plural form is las medusas. The other common terms provided are also feminine, such as ortiga de mar, ortiga marina and aguamar, while acafelo is masculine.
How do you pronounce it?
/ˌaɡwaˈmala/
Did you know?
- The standard Spanish word medusa comes from the name of the gorgon in Greek mythology whose hair was made of snakes.
- The term ortiga de mar literally compares the animal to a land plant, treating the sea as a garden where 'stinging nettles' grow.
- The word mar in ortiga de mar is a direct descendant of the Proto-Indo-European word móri, which is also the ancestor of the English word 'mere'.
Examples in context
- María les tiene pánico a las aguavivas.Mary is terrified of jellyfish.This sentence shows how to express a fear of the aguaviva form.Tatoeba #3566530 by hayastan, translation #6358809 by Adelpa
- No quería salir a nadar por temor a que lo picara una aguaviva.He didn't want to go swim because he was scared he'd get stung by a jellyfish.This sentence uses the aguaviva form to describe the fear of being stung while swimming.Tatoeba #7918012 by fpp, translation #9478353 by DJ_Saidez
- Vi una medusa flotando en el mar.I saw a jellyfish floating in the sea.
- Hay muchas aguamalas en esta playa.There are many jellyfish on this beach.
- Vi una aguamala en la orilla de la playa.I saw a jellyfish on the shore of the beach.
Example conversation
Lucía and Mateo are walking along the beach after a storm.
- Lucía¡Mira, Mateo, hay una aguamala en la arena!Look, Mateo, there is a jellyfish on the sand!
- MateoTen cuidado, no te acerques mucho.Be careful, don't get too close.
- LucíaMe da un poco de miedo que me pique.I'm a little afraid it might sting me.
- MateoTranquila, Lucía, mejor nos alejamos de ella.Calm down, Lucía, let's just move away from it.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “jellyfish” translations and entries aguamala, aguaviva, aguamar, 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 aguamala, aguaviva, de, mar, ortiga, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
