ratones
/ratones/from spelling rules
The English phrase mice is translated into Spanish as ratones.
Which one should you use?
While ratones refers to mice, the word ratas refers to rats, which are larger and different species.
How does it change in a sentence?
The singular form of ratones is ratón. The plural of ratón is ratones, following the rule where words ending in -ón change to -ones.
How do you pronounce it?
/ratones/
Did you know?
- In some Spanish dialects, calling someone a ratón can imply they are stingy or a 'penny-pincher'.
- Spanish has a specific word, ratonear, which means to search for something very meticulously or to steal small things over time.
- In certain contexts, ratonera can also be a slang term for a very small, cramped, or uncomfortable room.
Examples in context
- Maté a los ratones.I killed the mice.Tatoeba #5019049 by don_ramon, translation #3126550 by lavenir
- El gato atrapa ratones.The cat catches mice.Tatoeba #3103274 by marcelostockle, translation #5129434 by honestlang
- Los ratones no tienen nietos.Mice don't have grandchildren.Tatoeba #1325720 by hayastan, translation #4513234 by XenoKat
- Los laboratorios realizan experimentos con ratones para estudiar las enfermedades humanas.Laboratories conduct experiments with mice to study human diseases.
- 44 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Mateo and Sofía are in the kitchen at night.
- Mateo¿Viste esos ratones en la cocina?Did you see those mice in the kitchen?
- SofíaSí, Mateo, son muy pequeños.Yes, Mateo, they are very small.
- MateoDebemos atrapar a los ratones rápido.We must catch the mice quickly.
- SofíaCompraré trampas para ratones mañana.I will buy mouse traps tomorrow.
Sources
- IPA marked “from spelling rules” is derived from standard Spanish spelling, where Wiktionary gives none.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
