Ways to say it
| Spanish | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| cerdo | /ˈθeɾdo/ /ˈseɾdo/ |
masculine |
| chancho | /ˈt͡ʃant͡ʃo/ | Argentina, Bolivia, Chile, Costa Rica, Ecuador, Honduras, Nicaragua, Paraguay, Peru, Uruguay, masculine |
| coche | /ˈkot͡ʃe/ | Guatemala, masculine |
| cochi | /kot͡ʃi/ (from spelling rules) | Mexico, Northwestern, masculine |
| cochín | /koˈt͡ʃin/ | Aragon, Northern, Spain, masculine |
| cochino | /koˈt͡ʃino/ | Canary Islands, Mexico, Southwestern, Spain, masculine |
| cocho | /ˈkot͡ʃo/ | Northern, Spain, masculine |
| cuchi | /ˈkut͡ʃi/ | Central, Northern, Northwestern Argentina, masculine |
| gocho | /ɡot͡ʃo/ (from spelling rules) | Northern, Spain, masculine |
| gorrino | /ɡoˈrino/ | Central, Eastern, Southern, Spain, masculine |
| guarro | /ˈɡwaro/ | Spain, Western, masculine |
| marrano | /maˈrano/ | Central, Colombia, Venezuela, Western, masculine |
| puerco | /ˈpweɾko/ | Costa Rica, Mexico, Panama, masculine |
| tocino | /toˈθino/ /toˈsino/ |
Aragon, Northern, Spain, masculine |
| tunco | /ˈtunko/ | El Salvador, masculine |
| pitzote | /pitθote/ (Spain, from spelling rules) /pitsote/ (Latin America, from spelling rules) |
masculine |
| cuche | /ˈkut͡ʃe/ | masculine |
The term cerdo refers specifically to the farm animal and is not commonly used to describe pork as a food product. Other forms like lechón are used specifically to refer to a suckling pig or a young piglet.
Which one should you use?
While cerdo is the standard term, puerco is often used in a more informal or even vulgar sense to describe someone who is dirty or behaves poorly. The term cochino can be used to describe something as dirty or messy.
Is it said differently in some regions?
Many regional variations exist for the word pig: chancho is the preferred term in South American countries such as Argentina, Chile, Peru, Bolivia, Ecuador, Paraguay and Uruguay. In Guatemala, coche is used. In Mexico and Northwestern Spain, you may hear cochi, while in Northern Spain, cocho and gocho are used. In Aragon, Northern Spain, cochín and tocino are specific terms for a pig. In the Canary Islands, Mexico and Southwestern Spain, cochino is used. In Central and Northern Argentina, as well as Northwestern Argentina, cuchi is used. In parts of Central America and the Caribbean, including Costa Rica, Mexico and Panama, puerco is a common alternative. In El Salvador, tunco is used. In Central, Eastern and Southern Spain, gorrino is used. In Western Spain, guarro is used. In Colombia and Venezuela, as well as Western regions, marrano is used. Pitzote and cuche are also masculine forms for the animal.
How does it change in a sentence?
All provided forms are masculine nouns.
How do you pronounce it?
/ˈθeɾdo/
Did you know?
- The word chancho is thought to have evolved from the name 'Sancho', a common Spanish name, used historically as a way to refer to pigs.
- While many terms for pig are used to call someone 'dirty', the word tocino specifically refers to the fat or bacon from the pig rather than the animal itself in most contexts.
- The word lechón describes a piglet, but in culinary traditions, it refers to a specific dish where the pig is roasted whole.
Examples in context
- No sea un cerdo.Don't be a pig.This sentence uses cerdo to advise someone against behaving like a pig.Tatoeba #4438159 by ponisio7, translation #2270296 by CK
- Comía como un cerdo.I used to eat like a pig.This sentence uses cerdo to describe a way of eating.Tatoeba #3800069 by Seael, translation #1724649 by CM
- Él come como un puerco.He eats like a pig.This sentence uses puerco to describe a way of eating.Tatoeba #4349746 by cueyayotl, translation #2980304 by pne
- ¿Cómo se dice pig en español?How do you say pig in Spanish?
- 36 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Sofía and Javier are visiting a local farm.
- Sofía¿Viste ese cerdo, Javier?Did you see that pig, Javier?
- JavierSí, el cerdo es muy grande.Yes, the pig is very big.
- SofíaEs un cerdo muy simpático.It is a very friendly pig.
- JavierMe gusta ese animal.I like that animal.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “pig” translations and entries cerdo, chancho, coche, cochín, cochino, cocho, cuchi, gocho, gorrino, guarro, marrano, puerco, tocino, tunco, cuche, 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.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries cerdo, chancho, coche, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
