kelp
/ˈkelp/masculine, alternative form
The English word kelp is translated into Spanish as kelp or quelpo.
Meaning: large seaweed of order Laminariales (noun)
Ways to say it
| Spanish | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| kelp | /ˈkelp/ | masculine, alternative form |
| quelpo | /ˈkelpo/ | masculine |
The term refers to large seaweed of the order Laminariales.
Which one should you use?
kelp is an alternative spelling of quelpo.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In certain Latin American countries, such as Chile or Argentina, the term huiro is used to refer to kelp.
How does it change in a sentence?
Both forms are masculine nouns.
How do you pronounce it?
/ˈkelp/
Did you know?
- If you describe a person in Chile as a huiro, you might be calling them extremely thin or lanky rather than talking about seaweed.
- The word quelpo is an anglicism borrowed directly from the English word 'kelp'.
- In scientific contexts across the Spanish-speaking world, you might see kelp categorized simply as alga parda, which literally translates to 'brown algae'.
Examples in context
- Los erizos de mar comen algas como el kelp.Sea urchins eat seaweed such as kelp.Tatoeba #10181114 by Seael, translation #10181052 by Hybrid
- La nutria marina atravesó a nado el bosque de kelp.The sea otter swam through the kelp forest.Tatoeba #11969431 by Seael, translation #8147201 by Hybrid
- El alga parda es fundamental para el ecosistema marino.The kelp is fundamental for the marine ecosystem.
- 1 more sentence on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Lucía and Daniel are visiting an aquarium.
- LucíaMira Daniel, este tanque tiene mucho kelp.Look Daniel, this tank has a lot of kelp.
- DanielEs increíble lo largo que es el kelp.It is incredible how long the kelp is.
- LucíaSirve de refugio para muchos peces.It serves as a shelter for many fish.
- DanielTienes razón, parece un bosque submarino.You are right, it looks like an underwater forest.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “kelp” translations and entries kelp, quelpo, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries quelpo, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
