caracol
/kaɾaˈkol/masculine
The Spanish word for snail is caracol. Wiktionary also lists churo and tlaconete.
Meaning: any animal of the class Gastropoda having a shell (noun)
Ways to say it
| Spanish | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| caracol | /kaɾaˈkol/ | masculine |
| churo | /t͡ʃuɾo/ (from spelling rules) | masculine |
| tlaconete | /tlakonete/ (from spelling rules) | masculine |
The term refers to any animal of the class Gastropoda that possesses a shell. Beyond biology, caracol is also used to describe a spiral shape or a spiral pattern.
Which one should you use?
While caracol is the standard term, churo and tlaconete are also masculine nouns used for snail.
How does it change in a sentence?
The plural form of caracol is caracoles. To describe a smaller or younger snail, you can use the diminutive caracolito. If you wish to refer specifically to land snails, use the phrase Caracol terrestre.
How do you pronounce it?
/kaɾaˈkol/
Did you know?
- The word caracol shares an ancestral root with the Spanish word for spoon, cuchara, because both relate to the shape of a spiral or a shell.
- The Spanish word for the inner ear's cochlea is caracol, directly linking human anatomy to the spiral shape of a snail shell.
- Across various Latin American folk traditions, the shell of the caracol is blown as a musical instrument similar to a trumpet.
Examples in context
- El caracol retrae sus antenas.The snail draws in its feelers.This sentence shows how to use the form caracol to describe a snail drawing in its feelers.Tatoeba #1593734 by marcelostockle, translation #1593719 by trieuho
- El caracol retrajo sus antenas.The snail drew in its feelers.This sentence shows how to use the form caracol to describe a snail that has already drawn in its feelers.Tatoeba #1593732 by marcelostockle, translation #1593721 by trieuho
- El caracol se refugió en su caparazón.The snail retreated into its shell.This sentence shows how to use the form caracol to describe a snail retreating into its shell.Tatoeba #1593737 by marcelostockle, translation #1593727 by trieuho
- 10 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Daniel and María are looking at a garden.
- Daniel¿Ves ese caracol pequeño, María?Do you see that small snail, María?
- MaríaSí, es un caracol muy bonito.Yes, it is a very pretty snail.
- DanielEl caracol está cerca de las flores.The snail is near the flowers.
- María¡Qué lindo es el caracol!How cute the snail is!
Sources
- Wiktionary, “snail” translations and entries caracol, 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 caracol, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
