tlacuache
Mexico
In Mexico the opossum is a tlacuache, a word from Nahuatl. Elsewhere in Spanish it is a zarigüeya. It is also called Tacuache.
Meaning: marsupial animal (noun)
Ways to say it
| Mexican | Note |
|---|---|
| tlacuache | Mexico |
| Zarigüeya | general Spanish |
| Tacuache | variant spelling |
Mexicans use tlacuache in everyday talk and in folk tales. The animal often sneaks into gardens and kitchens at night.
Is it said differently in some regions?
Tlacuache comes from Nahuatl tlacuatzin. Textbooks and other countries use zarigüeya, a word that originates in a Guaraní term.
Did you know?
- In Mexican folklore the tlacuache is the trickster who stole fire for people.
Examples in context
- Un tlacuache se metió al gallinero.An opossum got into the chicken coop.
- Vi un tlacuache en el techo.I saw an opossum on the roof.
- La zarigüeya carga a sus crías.The opossum carries its young.
Example conversation
Rubén tells his grandmother Chela about a night visitor at their house in Morelia.
- RubénAbuela, anoche vi un tlacuache.Grandma, last night I saw an opossum.
- Chela¿Dónde? Se come las frutas.Where? It eats the fruit.
- RubénEn el patio, junto al limonero.In the yard, next to the lemon tree.
