miau
/ˈmjau/
The English phrase "meow" is translated into Spanish as miau. Wiktionary also lists ñau and ñew.
Meaning: cry of a cat (intj)
Ways to say it
| Spanish | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| miau | /ˈmjau/ | |
| ñau | /ˈɲau/ | |
| ñew | /ˈɲew/ | masculine |
| maullido | /mauˈʝido/ | masculine |
In Spanish, words like miau, ñau and ñew are used to represent the onomatopoeic sound of a cat's cry. To describe the action of a cat making this sound, you can use the verb maullar or the phrase hacer miau.
Which one should you use?
While miau represents the actual onomatopoeic sound the cat makes, maullido is the formal noun used to refer to the cry itself.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In the region of Cantabria, the verb miagar can be used to mean a cat making its cry.
Related words
How does it change in a sentence?
To describe the action of a cat meowing, use the verb maullar or the common phrase hacer miau. The word maullido is a masculine noun.
How do you pronounce it?
/ˈmjau/
Did you know?
- The verb maullar can be used metaphorically in some contexts to describe someone who is whining or complaining in a high-pitched, annoying manner.
- While English speakers use 'meow', a Spanish speaker might use the word miau to mimic a cat, but they might also use guau for a dog or mu for a cow, showing how onomatopoeia varies completely across languages.
- While miau is the standard sound, some Spanish speakers use ñau specifically to mimic the sound of a kitten or a more nasal cry.
Examples in context
- Los gatos hacen "miau, miau".Cats go "meow, meow."This sentence shows how to use miau to represent the sound cats make.Tatoeba #9563973 by dpcossio, translation #282037 by shekitten
- "Miau", dijo el gato, y me miró."Meow," said the cat, and looked at me.This sentence illustrates the use of miau as a direct quote for a cat's sound.Tatoeba #1689553 by termito2nd, translation #12991507 by araneo
- La vaca hace "muuu" y el gato "miau".The cow goes "moo" and the cat goes "meow."This sentence compares different animal sounds using miau.Tatoeba #5033321 by don_ramon, translation #5033420 by scheherezhad
- 8 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Daniel and María are looking at a cat in the park.
- Daniel¿Escuchaste eso? Un "miau" muy fuerte.Did you hear that? A very loud "meow".
- MaríaSí, el gatito pequeño está detrás de ese árbol.Yes, the little kitten is behind that tree.
- DanielParece que tiene mucha hambre, María.It looks like he is very hungry, María.
- MaríaEs verdad, vamos a darle un poco de comida.It's true, let's give him some food.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “meow” translations and entries miau, ñau, ñew, maullido, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
