cañón de papas
/kaɲon de papas/from spelling rules
The English phrase "potato gun" is translated into Spanish as cañón de papas.
A potato gun refers to a homemade device that uses compressed air or combustion to launch a potato. In addition to cañón de papas, you may hear pistola de papas or lanzapapas (potato launcher).
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase cañón de papas literally translates to "cannon of potatoes".
Is it said differently in some regions?
In Spain, you should use patatas instead of papas. Consequently, you can say pistola de patatas or cañón de patatas to refer to a potato gun in that region.
How does it change in a sentence?
While the plural form cañón de papas is standard, it is also common to use the singular cañón de papa to refer to the device.
How do you pronounce it?
/kaɲon de papas/
Did you know?
- Because papás with an accent means 'parents' and papas without one means 'potatoes', a typo in a written guide for a cañón de papas could accidentally describe a 'parent cannon'.
- Spanish uses the same word cañón for a potato gun as it does for the deep, narrow gorges and canyons found in nature.
- In Latin American slang, saying something is un cañón can mean it is very difficult or a 'tough nut to crack'.
Examples in context
- Él construyó un cañón de papas en su garaje.He built a potato gun in his garage.
- ¿Es peligroso usar ese cañón de papas?Is it dangerous to use that potato gun?
- Necesitamos un cañón de papas para el experimento.We need a potato gun for the experiment.
Example conversation
Elena and Mateo are talking about a science project.
- ElenaMira este cañón de papas, Mateo.Look at this potato gun, Mateo.
- Mateo¡Es increíble! ¿Tú lo hiciste?It's incredible! Did you make it?
- ElenaSí, lo armé el fin de semana.Yes, I put it together over the weekend.
- MateoProbémoslo ahora mismo en el patio.Let's test it right now in the yard.
Sources
- IPA marked “from spelling rules” is derived from standard Spanish spelling, where Wiktionary gives none.
