okapi
/oˈkapi/masculine
The English phrase "okapi" is okapi in Spanish. If unsure, use okapi. Wiktionary also lists ocapi.
Meaning: Okapia johnstoni (noun)
Ways to say it
| Spanish | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| okapi | /oˈkapi/ | masculine |
| ocapi | /okapi/ (from spelling rules) | masculine |
The word refers to the animal Okapia johnstoni.
How do you pronounce it?
/oˈkapi/
Did you know?
- The 'k' in okapi is quite rare in native Spanish words, making the word look distinctly 'foreign' to a person reading a Spanish text for the first time.
- The word okapi is a loanword in Spanish taken from the language of the people in the Ituri forest of the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
- In Spanish, the animal is sometimes jokingly referred to as a cebra-jirafa because of its striking appearance.
Examples in context
- Hay un solo okapi en el recinto.There's a lone okapi in the enclosure.Tatoeba #11697623 by Seael, translation #12911268 by araneo
- Anoche soñé que un okapi y yo construíamos una iglesia colgante en la pared de un acantilado.I had a dream last night that an okapi and I built a hanging church on the face of a cliff.Tatoeba #7848667 by Seael, translation #9870600 by DJ_Saidez
- El okapi tiene rayas en las patas.The okapi has stripes on its legs.
Example conversation
Javier and Elena are looking at a nature book in a library.
- Javier¿Es este un okapi?Is this an okapi?
- ElenaSí, es un dibujo de un okapi.Yes, it is a drawing of an okapi.
- JavierEs un animal muy extraño.It is a very strange animal.
- ElenaEs muy bonito, Javier.It is very pretty, Javier.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “okapi” translations and entries okapi, ocapi, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- IPA marked “from spelling rules” is derived from standard Spanish spelling, where Wiktionary gives none.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
