foca madre
/foka madɾe/from spelling rules
The English phrase 'mother seal' is translated into Spanish as foca madre.
This phrase is used to identify a female seal that has offspring.
Did you know?
- In some Spanish dialects, adding madre to a noun doesn't just describe a parent, but can act as an intensifier to mean 'huge' or 'great'.
- The word foca is a 'learned borrowing', meaning it was consciously reintroduced into Old Spanish from Latin rather than evolving naturally through speech.
- Spanish speakers use the word foca for all types of seals, whereas English distinguishes between 'true seals' and 'eared seals' in scientific contexts.
Examples in context
- ¡Observa a la madre foca y a sus crías adorables!Look at the mother seal and her adorable pups!
- La foca madre protege a su cría.The mother seal protects her pup.
- Vimos a una foca madre en la playa.We saw a mother seal on the beach.
Example conversation
Javier and Elena are watching wildlife from a distance.
- Javier¿Ves a la foca madre allá?Do you see the mother seal over there?
- ElenaSí, es muy impresionante verla con su cría.Yes, it is very impressive to see her with her pup.
- JavierLa foca madre parece muy tranquila hoy.The mother seal seems very calm today.
- ElenaEs verdad, se siente segura en este lugar.It is true, she feels safe in this place.
Sources
- IPA marked “from spelling rules” is derived from standard Spanish spelling, where Wiktionary gives none.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries foca, madre, CC BY-SA 4.0.
