samán
/saman/from spelling rules
To say saman in Spanish, meaning the large tropical rain tree, use samán, with an accent on the second a.
samán names a large tropical tree with a wide, spreading canopy, known in English as the rain tree or saman tree.
How do you pronounce it?
samán is pronounced /saman/, with the stress on the last syllable as the accent shows.
What mistakes should you avoid?
Keep the accent on the last syllable when writing samán.
Did you know?
- The word samán comes from the indigenous Taíno language of the Caribbean. It is one of many words preserved in Spanish from the people who lived on the islands of Hispaniola and Puerto Rico.
- The samán is known for its peculiar 'sleeping' habit, as the leaves fold up at night or during rain to let water reach the ground more efficiently.
- The term samán is often found in Spanish-language literature and folk songs to symbolize a place of community gathering, as the tree's shade traditionally serves as a natural town square.
Examples in context
- El samán ofrece mucha sombra en el parque.The samán tree provides a lot of shade in the park.
- Ese samán es muy antiguo y grande.That samán is very old and large.
- Las hojas del samán caen en otoño.The leaves of the samán fall in autumn.
Example conversation
Elena and Javier are walking through a botanical garden.
- Elena¿Ves aquel samán tan grande, Javier?Do you see that very large samán, Javier?
- JavierSí, Elena, es un árbol impresionante.Yes, Elena, it is an impressive tree.
- ElenaMe encanta la sombra que tiene.I love the shade it has.
- JavierEs el lugar perfecto para descansar.It is the perfect place to rest.
Sources
- IPA marked “from spelling rules” is derived from standard Spanish spelling, where Wiktionary gives none.
