el payaso
/el paʝaso/from spelling rules
The English phrase "the clown" is translated into Spanish as el payaso.
el payaso refers to a circus performer who wears a colorful costume and makes people laugh.
Which one should you use?
While el payaso is the standard term, if you are referring to a clown in the context of a court jester, you would use el bufón. For a cuter or more affectionate way to refer to a clown, you can use el payasito.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In Argentina, el payaso is the most common term used for a clown, whereas bufón is rarely used there.
How does it change in a sentence?
The masculine form is el payaso, but if you are referring to a female clown, use la payasa.
How do you pronounce it?
/el paʝaso/
Did you know?
- The word payaso is an unexpected relative of the English word 'pallet'. Both come from the Latin word for 'chaff' or 'straw' because early clowns stuffed their costumes with straw to look plump.
- In many Spanish-speaking cultures, calling someone a payaso is a common insult meaning they are acting ridiculous or are not to be taken seriously, rather than a comment on their profession.
- While payaso is the standard word, the term bufón specifically evokes the history of the court jester, a role that had the unique legal right to mock royalty without being punished.
Examples in context
- El payaso volvió al circo.The clown went back to the circus.This sentence shows the use of el payaso in a sentence about returning to the circus.Tatoeba #1843888 by hayastan, translation #10836758 by Lebensfreude
- El payaso hizo una mueca graciosa.The clown made a funny face.This sentence illustrates how el payaso is used when describing someone making a funny face.Tatoeba #986123 by leoruilova, translation #280440 by CK
- El payaso de la feria nos dijo que hoy sería el mejor día de nuestras vidas, ¿quién iba a decir que tenía razón?The clown at the fair told us that today would be the best day of our lives. Who was going to say he was right?This sentence provides a more descriptive context for using el payaso at a fair.Tatoeba #889624 by Shishir, translation #10839336 by ella695
- El payaso hizo reír a todosThe clown made everyone laugh
- El bufón del rey era muy ingeniosoThe king's jester was very witty
- ¡Mira al payasito, está muy gracioso!Look at the little clown, he is very funny!
- 1 more sentence on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Sofía and Daniel are watching a circus performance together.
- SofíaMira, ¡ahí viene el payaso!Look, here comes the clown!
- DanielEs muy divertido cómo baila.The way he dances is very funny.
- SofíaMe gusta mucho el disfraz de el payaso.I really like the clown's costume.
- DanielSí, tiene colores muy brillantes.Yes, he has very bright colors.
Sources
- IPA marked “from spelling rules” is derived from standard Spanish spelling, where Wiktionary gives none.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries el, payaso, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
