patas
/ˈpatas/
The Spanish word for 'paws' is patas.
patas refers to the soft feet of an animal that has claws or nails. In many Spanish-speaking regions, this word is also used colloquially to refer to a person's legs, typically in a humorous or derogatory manner.
Which one should you use?
While patas is used for animal paws or legs, manos is used specifically for human hands and pies is used for human feet.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In some Latin American countries, such as Mexico or Argentina, the word garritas is used to mean 'paws'.
How does it change in a sentence?
The singular form of patas is pata.
How do you pronounce it?
/ˈpatas/
Did you know?
- While patas means paws, the phrase estirar la pata is a common idiom meaning 'to kick the bucket' or to die.
- In some contexts, pata is used as a slang term for a close friend or 'buddy' in countries like Peru.
- The word pata is used in Spanish to describe the legs of furniture, such as a table or a chair, rather than using the word for human legs.
Examples in context
- El gato se estaba lamiendo las patas.The cat was licking its paws.This sentence shows how to use patas when a cat is licking them.Tatoeba #1908639 by Shishir, translation #282063 by CK
- Al gato le gusta el pescado pero no le gusta mojarse las patas.The cat likes fish, but it doesn't like getting its paws wet.This sentence uses patas to describe a cat not wanting to get its paws wet.Tatoeba #1682580 by termito2nd, translation #10067679 by DJ_Saidez
- Los canguros tienen dos patas delanteras pequeñas y dos patas traseras grandes y fuertes.Kangaroos have two small forepaws and two large, strong hind paws.This sentence uses patas to describe the forepaws and hind paws of a kangaroo.Tatoeba #4847833 by hayastan, translation #4852648 by Serveto
- Los gatos tienen patas muy suaves.Cats have very soft paws.
- Mi gatito tiene unas patitas muy tiernas.My little cat has very tender paws.
- ¡Qué lindas garritas tiene tu perro!Your dog has such cute paws!
- Las patas del gato son muy ágiles.The cat's paws are very agile.
- Mi perrito tiene unas patitas blancas con manchas negras.My little dog has white paws with black spots.
- Cuando hace frío, mi gata esconde sus paticas debajo del cuerpo.When it's cold, my cat hides her paws under her body.
- Las garritas de mi perro siempre están limpias porque las lava constantemente.My dog's paws are always clean because he washes them constantly.
- 2 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
María and Mateo are looking at a puppy.
- MaríaMira qué pequeñas son sus patas.Look how small his paws are.
- MateoSí, son muy tiernas.Yes, they are very cute.
- MaríaCreo que tiene barro en las patas.I think he has mud on his paws.
- MateoVoy a limpiarlas ahora mismo.I am going to clean them right now.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry patas, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
