mono
/ˈmono/masculine
The English word 'monkey' is translated into Spanish as mono. Wiktionary also lists chango and mico.
Meaning: primate (noun)
Ways to say it
| Spanish | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| mono | /ˈmono/ | masculine |
| chango | /ˈt͡ʃanɡo/ | Mexico, masculine |
| mico | /ˈmiko/ | Central America, Colombia, Ecuador, masculine |
| simio | /ˈsimjo/ | masculine |
| jimio | /ˈximjo/ | masculine |
| maimón | /maiˈmon/ | masculine |
The primary way to refer to the primate is mono. However, in Spain, mono is also frequently used as an informal adjective to mean 'cute' or 'pretty' when describing people or objects.
Which one should you use?
While mono is the common word for monkey, simio is a more technical or formal term often used to refer to apes or primates in a biological context.
Is it said differently in some regions?
Chango is a common regional term used in Mexico. Mico is used for monkey in parts of Central America and in the South American countries of Colombia and Ecuador.
How do you pronounce it?
/ˈmono/
Did you know?
- The word mono also refers to a 'jumpsuit' or 'overalls' in Spanish, which is why a mechanic might wear a mono.
- The common Spanish word mono shares a distant ancestor with the English word 'monkey', both tracing back to the Arabic word for 'baboon'.
- In some cultures, the phrase hacer el mono means to 'act like a clown' or 'fool around' to get attention.
Examples in context
- Es carne de mono.It's monkey meat.This sentence is useful for describing meat of the form mono.Tatoeba #1119551 by Shishir, translation #1117904 by Scott
- Se escapó el mono.The monkey got away.This sentence is useful for describing an escape of the form mono.Tatoeba #4637418 by lawka, translation #1117893 by Scott
- ¡Mi mono se ha escapado!My monkey ran away!Tatoeba #578933 by Shishir, translation #537045 by tomkun01
- El mono es juguetón.The monkey is playful.
- Me gusta ver al mono en el zoológico.I like to watch the monkey at the zoo.
- En el bosque, hay muchos monos.In the forest, there are many monkeys.
- Los monos son muy inteligentes.Monkeys are very intelligent.
- ¡Mira ese chango en el árbol!Look at that monkey on the tree!
- Ese niño es travieso como un chango.That child is mischievous like a monkey.
- Ese niño es un mono.That child is a monkey.
- En el zoológico, vi varios simios jugando.At the zoo, I saw several monkeys playing.
- Mi hermano actúa como un simio cuando está emocionado.My brother acts like a monkey when he's excited.
- 38 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
María and Alejandro are watching a documentary about animals.
- María¿Viste ese mono en la pantalla?Did you see that monkey on the screen?
- AlejandroSí, el mono es muy pequeño.Yes, the monkey is very small.
- MaríaParece muy divertido saltando.It looks very fun jumping around.
- AlejandroEs un mono muy ágil.It is a very agile monkey.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “monkey” translations and entries mono, chango, mico, simio, jimio, maimón, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries chango, mico, mono, simio, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
