rata topo
/rata topo/from spelling rules
The English phrase "mole rat" is rata topo in Spanish.
rata topo refers to a burrowing rodent that resembles a rat and lives underground.
How do you pronounce it?
/rata topo/
Did you know?
- While rata means 'rat', it is also used in Spanish slang to describe a stingy person who refuses to spend money.
- The word topo is a cognate of the English color 'taupe', which was originally named after the grey-brown color of a mole's fur.
- In Spanish, the word topo can also refer to a 'mole' in the sense of a double agent or a spy embedded in an organization.
Examples in context
- El zoológico alberga una especie de rata topo muy rara.The zoo houses a very rare species of mole rat.
- Ayer vi un ratón topo en el jardín de mi casa.Yesterday I saw a mole rat in my garden.
- Vi una rata topo en el jardín.I saw a mole rat in the garden.
- La rata topo vive bajo la tierra.The mole rat lives underground.
- Esa rata topo es muy pequeña.That mole rat is very small.
Example conversation
Javier and María are looking at a biology book in a library.
- Javier¿Qué es este animal?What is this animal?
- MaríaEs una rata topo.It is a mole rat.
- JavierParece una rata común.It looks like a common rat.
- MaríaPero la rata topo cava túneles.But the mole rat digs tunnels.
Sources
- IPA marked “from spelling rules” is derived from standard Spanish spelling, where Wiktionary gives none.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries rata, topo, CC BY-SA 4.0.
