pato
/ˈpato/
pato is the Spanish word for duck.
The term refers to a water bird characterized by a broad beak and webbed feet. When describing a duck, you might use related terms such as pico for beak, plumaje for feathers or estanque for the pond where they live.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In some Latin American countries, the word pata is used colloquially to refer to ducks.
How do you pronounce it?
/ˈpato/
Did you know?
- There is a traditional sport in Argentina and Uruguay called pato, which is a game on horseback that blends elements of polo and basketball.
- In several Spanish-speaking countries, the phrase pagar el pato means to take the blame or suffer the consequences for something you did not do.
- The word pato has an incredibly long journey, tracing its roots from Persian through Arabic before arriving in the Spanish language.
Examples in context
- Yo soy Josef Patočka y trabajo en el Ministerio de Asuntos Exteriores.I'm Josef Patočka and I work at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.This sentence shows pato as part of a proper surname.Tatoeba #872332 by japegon, translation #871539 by CM
- el pato amarilloThe yellow duck
- el pato blancoThe white duck
- El pato nada en el estanque.The duck swims in the pond.
- Vi un pato de color blanco.I saw a white duck.
Example conversation
Mateo and Lucía are walking through a park.
- MateoMira, hay un pato cerca de la orilla.Look, there is a duck near the shore.
- LucíaEs muy bonito, Mateo.It is very pretty, Mateo.
- Mateo¿Quieres darle un poco de pan?Do you want to give it some bread?
- LucíaNo, no deberíamos alimentar al pato.No, we shouldn't feed the duck.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry pato, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries pato, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
