mapache
/maˈpat͡ʃe/masculine
The English word raccoon is mapache in Spanish. Wiktionary also lists oso lavador and zorra manglera.
Meaning: nocturnal omnivore living in North America, Procyon lotor (noun)
Ways to say it
| Spanish | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| mapache | /maˈpat͡ʃe/ | masculine |
| oso lavador | /ˌoso labaˈdoɾ/ | masculine |
| zorra manglera | /θora manɡleɾa/ (Spain, from spelling rules) /sora manɡleɾa/ (Latin America, from spelling rules) |
feminine |
| gato manglatero | /ɡato manɡlateɾo/ (from spelling rules) | masculine |
| mapachín | /mapat͡ʃin/ (from spelling rules) | masculine |
The term refers to the nocturnal omnivore living in North America, Procyon lotor.
What does it mean word for word?
The term oso lavador is a literal translation of washer bear, referring to the animal's habit of washing food in water.
How does it change in a sentence?
The diminutive form mapachín can be used to refer to a small raccoon or as an affectionate term for a raccoon.
How do you pronounce it?
/maˈpatʃe/
Did you know?
- In some regions, the term zorra manglera is used for the raccoon, where zorra is a word borrowed from the Arabic term for 'concubine'.
- While 'bear' is part of the name oso lavador, the raccoon is not actually a member of the bear family.
- Spanish uses the term oso lavador to mirror the German Waschbär and the French raton laveur, all of which emphasize the animal's habit of washing food.
Examples in context
- El mapache bebe agua.The raccoon drinks water.Tatoeba #13595689 by Seael, translation #10890891 by rul
- A los perros mapache japoneses se les suele llamar tanukis.Japanese raccoon dogs are commonly known as tanukis.Tatoeba #10226760 by Seael, translation #9180001 by DJ_Saidez
- ¿Ves al mapache?Do you see the raccoon?Tatoeba #1469880 by marcelostockle, translation #693563 by CK
- En el zoológico, pudimos observar un hermoso mapache.At the zoo, we were able to observe a beautiful raccoon.
- 4 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Sofía and Daniel are looking at the backyard at night.
- Sofía¡Mira, Daniel! Hay un mapache en el césped.Look, Daniel! There is a raccoon on the lawn.
- Daniel¡Es verdad! Es un mapache muy grande.It's true! It is a very large raccoon.
- SofíaParece que está buscando algo de comer.It looks like it is looking for something to eat.
- DanielTen cuidado, Sofía, no te acerques mucho.Be careful, Sofía, don't get too close.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “raccoon” translations and entries mapache, oso lavador, 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 gato, lavador, mapache, oso, oso lavador, zorra, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
