cuervo
/ˈkweɾbo/masculine
The Spanish word for raven is cuervo. Wiktionary also lists corneja.
Meaning: any of several, generally large, species of birds in the genus Corvus with lustrous black plumage (noun)
Ways to say it
| Spanish | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| cuervo | /ˈkweɾbo/ | masculine |
| corneja | /koɾˈnexa/ | feminine |
cuervo refers to any species of bird within the genus Corvus, typically characterized by large size and lustrous black feathers.
Which one should you use?
While cuervo is the general term for the genus Corvus (including both ravens and crows), it is the most common word used for both 'raven' and 'crow' in everyday Spanish. The feminine form corneja is also present in the language.
How does it change in a sentence?
The plural form of cuervo is cuervos.
How do you pronounce it?
/ˈkweɾbo/
Did you know?
- The word corneja comes from the Latin 'cornīcula', which means 'small crow', making it a diminutive form of the word 'cornīx'.
- In Spanish folklore, the cuervo is often seen as a messenger of death or a herald of misfortune, a belief that permeates much of the region's Gothic literature.
Examples in context
- El cuervo es considerado pájaro de mal agüero.The raven is regarded a bird of bad omen.This sentence illustrates how cuervo is used in the context of bad omens.Tatoeba #1128175 by marcelostockle, translation #1128180 by marcelostockle
- A veces me pregunto qué tendrá que decirle un cuervo, con su decisiva presencia final y su persistente color funesto, a las ancianas montañas.Sometimes I ask myself what a raven, with its decisive final presence, and its mournful persistent color, may have to say to the aged mountains.This sentence shows a literary description of the presence and color of a cuervo.Tatoeba #1526070 by Shishir, translation #1523215 by AsliAbbasi
- El cuervo es tan negro como el carbón.The raven is as black as coal.This sentence uses a simile to describe the blackness of a cuervo.Tatoeba #1332895 by txoriburu, translation #1332897 by txoriburu
- En la conferencia científica, el profesor presentó un estudio fascinante sobre la inteligencia de los cuervosDuring the scientific conference, the professor presented a fascinating study on the intelligence of ravens.
Example conversation
Mateo and Sofía are walking in a forest park.
- MateoMira ese cuervo en la rama.Look at that raven on the branch.
- SofíaEs un cuervo muy grande.It is a very large raven.
- MateoTiene las plumas muy brillantes.It has very shiny feathers.
- SofíaSí, es un cuervo impresionante.Yes, it is an impressive raven.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “raven” translations and entries cuervo, corneja, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries corneja, cuervo, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
