carnero
/kaɾˈneɾo/masculine
The English word 'ram' is translated into Spanish as carnero. If unsure, use carnero. Wiktionary also lists morueco and ariete.
Meaning: male sheep (noun)
Ways to say it
| Spanish | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| carnero | /kaɾˈneɾo/ | masculine |
| morueco | /moˈɾweko/ | masculine |
| ariete | /aˈɾjete/ | masculine |
| ramiro | /ramiɾo/ (from spelling rules) | masculine |
All provided Spanish forms refer to a male sheep. While carnero is the standard term for a male sheep, related verbs like embestir or chancar can mean to intentionally collide with a ship and verbs such as arietar or topar mean to strike something hard.
Which one should you use?
Use carnero specifically when referring to a male sheep. In contrast, oveja is used to refer to the species in general or to a female sheep.
Related words
How does it change in a sentence?
The plural form of carnero is carneros.
How do you pronounce it?
/kaɾˈneɾo/
Did you know?
- While carnero is the most common term, the word morueco is an obscure alternative thought to have roots in Paleo-Hispanic languages that existed before the Romans arrived in Spain.
- The word ariete is used in Spanish to describe a battering ram used to break down doors, linking the animal's behavior to a siege engine.
- In Spanish, the word carnero is derived from the Latin term for 'meat' or 'flesh', linking the animal directly to its use as food.
Examples in context
- Este carnero es del mismo tamaño que los demás.This ram is the same size as the others.This sentence is useful for comparing the size of a carnero to others.Tatoeba #11027587 by JSKabylie, translation #11073870 by nickitolas
- Los doce animales de los signos del zodíaco chino provienen de once tipos de animales que encontramos en la naturaleza: la rata, el buey, el tigre, el conejo, la serpiente, el caballo, el carnero, el mono, el gallo, el perro, el chancho, y el mitológico dragón, ellos son utilizados como calendario.The twelve animals of the Chinese Zodiac come from eleven types of animals we find in nature: the rat, the ox, the tiger, the hare, the snake, the horse, the ram, the monkey, the rooster, the dog, the pig, and the mythological dragon, they're used as a calendar.This sentence uses carnero in the context of the Chinese Zodiac animals.Tatoeba #1241216 by hayastan, translation #1241238 by xellugis
- Esto no es un carnero, ¡es una cabra!This isn't a ram, it's a goat!This sentence illustrates a correction by distinguishing a carnero from a goat.Tatoeba #5320050 by mervert1, translation #5320038 by Adelpa
- El carnero es un símbolo de fortaleza.The ram is a symbol of strength.
Example conversation
Javier and María are visiting a small farm.
- JavierMira aquel carnero blanco allá.Look at that white ram over there.
- MaríaEs un carnero muy grande, Javier.It is a very large ram, Javier.
- JavierParece que es el líder del grupo.It looks like he is the leader of the group.
- MaríaSí, tiene mucha fuerza.Yes, he has a lot of strength.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “ram” translations and entries carnero, morueco, ariete, 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 ariete, carnero, morueco, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
