pavo salvaje
/pabo salbaxe/from spelling rules
The English phrase "thunder chicken" is translated into Spanish as pavo salvaje.
pavo salvaje is a humorous or slang term used to refer to a wild turkey.
Did you know?
- While pavo means 'turkey' today, it comes from the Latin word for 'peacock'. This happened because early Europeans confused the two birds.
- In Mexico, you will hear guajolote instead of pavo salvaje. This word does not come from Spanish or Latin, but from the indigenous Nahuatl language.
- In many Spanish-speaking cultures, calling someone a pavo is a common way to call them a 'fool' or 'silly', rather than referring to the bird itself.
Example conversation
Mateo and Sofia are hiking in the woods.
- Mateo¡Mira, Sofía! Hay un pavo salvaje.Look, Sofia! There is a wild turkey.
- SofíaEs enorme, Mateo.It is huge, Mateo.
- MateoParece un pavo salvaje muy enojado.It looks like a very angry wild turkey.
- SofíaMejor sigamos caminando rápido.Better keep walking fast.
Sources
- IPA marked “from spelling rules” is derived from standard Spanish spelling, where Wiktionary gives none.
