ñandú
/ɲanˈdu/masculine
The Spanish word for the flightless bird rhea is ñandú.
ñandú is a masculine noun used to refer to the flightless bird known as the rhea.
Meaning: flightless bird (noun)
Related words
How does it change in a sentence?
The word is a masculine noun.
How do you pronounce it?
/ɲanˈdu/
Did you know?
- The word ñandú comes from the Guarani phrase ñandu guasu, which literally translates to 'big spider'.
- In South American folklore, the ñandú is often depicted as a symbol of agility and speed due to its powerful legs.
- If you use the word ñandú in South America, you are using a term that predates Spanish colonization of the continent.
Examples in context
- Cuidado, hay un ñandú en el camino.Be careful, there is a rhea on the road.
- Mi primo tiene una granja y cría ñandús.My cousin owns a farm and breeds rheas.
- El ñandú corre muy rápido.The rhea runs very fast.
- Vi un ñandú en la reserva.I saw a rhea in the reserve.
- Ese ñandú es de color gris.That rhea is gray in color.
Example conversation
Alejandro and Lucía are watching a nature documentary.
- Alejandro¿Qué es ese animal?What is that animal?
- LucíaEs un ñandú, Alejandro.It is a rhea, Alejandro.
- Alejandro¡Qué impresionante es el ñandú!How impressive the rhea is!
- LucíaSí, es un ave muy grande.Yes, it is a very large bird.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “rhea” translations and entries ñandú, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries ñandú, CC BY-SA 4.0.
