puma
/ˈpuma/
The English phrase "puma" is translated into Spanish as puma.
The word refers to the large wild cat native to the Americas.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In some parts of Mexico and Central America, the term pantera is used instead of puma.
How do you pronounce it?
/ˈpuma/
Did you know?
- In the ancient Inca worldview, the puma was part of a cosmic trilogy alongside the 'condor' and the 'snake', serving as the symbol for the 'earthly' realm.
- The word puma is an example of a loanword that traveled from the indigenous Quechua language into Spanish and then eventually into English.
- While puma is the technical term, calling the animal a pantera in some Spanish-speaking regions can lead a listener to think you are talking about a jaguar or a black panther.
Examples in context
- Hoy vi un león de montaña mientras caminaba por el bosque.Today, I saw a puma while walking through the forest.
- En muchas regiones de América, puedes encontrar leones de América en estado salvaje.In many regions of America, you can find pumas in the wild.
- El puma es un animal muy fuerte.The puma is a very strong animal.
- Vimos un puma en el bosque.We saw a puma in the forest.
- El puma vive en las montañas.The puma lives in the mountains.
Example conversation
Javier and María are watching a nature documentary on TV.
- Javier¿Viste ese puma en la pantalla?Did you see that puma on the screen?
- MaríaSí, es un puma impresionante.Yes, it is an impressive puma.
- JavierMe da un poco de miedo.It scares me a little.
- MaríaEs normal, es un gran depredador.That's normal, it's a large predator.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry puma, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries puma, CC BY-SA 4.0.
