How to Say "Tail" in Spanish - How To Say Guide

cola

/ˈkola/feminine

In Spanish, the English word 'tail' can be translated as cola, rabo or hopo.

Meaning: appendage of an animal (noun)

Ways to say it

These terms refer to the appendage of an animal. Note that cola also functions as the standard word for a queue or a line of people waiting.

cola is the standard, neutral term for an animal's tail, whereas rabo is a more colloquial or informal term.

cola is a feminine noun, while both rabo and hopo are masculine nouns.

/ˈkola/

In many Spanish-speaking cultures, using rabo instead of cola can be seen as vulgar or suggestive depending on the region.
Spanish has two entirely different words spelled cola that are not related to tails: one meaning 'glue' and another referring to the 'kola nut'.
In some regions, the word rabo is used specifically in culinary contexts, such as rabo de toro for oxtail stew.

Mi perro mueve la cola.
My dog is wagging his tail.
This sentence is useful for seeing how to use cola with the verb 'mover' (to move/wag).
Tatoeba #1017281 by Shishir, translation #250760 by CK
El perro sacudía la cola.
The dog wagged its tail.
Tatoeba #1836120 by marcelostockle, translation #48220 by patgfisher
Aquí la cola agita al perro.
Here the tail wags the dog.
This sentence demonstrates the use of cola in a metaphorical phrase.
Tatoeba #4395169 by ponisio7, translation #4398740 by XenoKat
El perro meneó la cola cuando vio a su dueño.
The dog wagged its tail when it saw its owner.
El caballo movió el rabo de un lado a otro.
The horse swished its tail from side to side.
El gato se esconde y esconde su colita.
The cat hides and tucks its tail away.
45 more sentences on Tatoeba

Sofía and Daniel are watching a stray cat in the park.

Sofía

Mira esa gata, tiene la cola muy larga.
Look at that cat, she has a very long tail.
Daniel

Es verdad, su cola es de color blanco.
It's true, her tail is white.
Sofía

Parece que está muy contenta.
She looks very happy.
Daniel

Sí, mueve su cola con mucha energía.
Yes, she moves her tail with a lot of energy.

Sources

Wiktionary, “tail” translations and entries cola, rabo, hopo, 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 cola, rabo, CC BY-SA 4.0.
Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.

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