tiburón tigre
/tibuɾon tiɡɾe/from spelling rulesmasculine
The English phrase "tiger shark" is translated into Spanish as tiburón tigre.
tiburón tigre is the Spanish name for the species Galeocerdo cuvier.
Meaning: Galeocerdo cuvier (noun)
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase is composed of tiburón (shark) and tigre (tiger).
How does it change in a sentence?
When pluralizing the phrase to say "tiger sharks", the noun tiburón changes to tiburones, but the adjective tigre remains singular, resulting in tiburones tigre.
How do you pronounce it?
/tibuɾon tiɡɾe/
Did you know?
- The word tiburón shares roots with the Taíno word tiburo and the Quechua word tiwrun, reflecting the influence of indigenous American languages on the Spanish term for sharks.
- In certain Latin American dialects, calling someone a tigre is a compliment rather than a comparison to a predator. It is often used to describe someone who is exceptionally skilled or clever at a specific task.
- If you call someone a tiburón in a Spanish-speaking business meeting, you are not calling them a fish, but describing them as a ruthless or aggressive negotiator. This metaphorical use is common in many professional circles.
Examples in context
- Vi un tiburón tigre en el océano.I saw a tiger shark in the ocean.
- El tiburón tigre es muy peligroso.The tiger shark is very dangerous.
- Vimos un tiburón tigre en el documental.We saw a tiger shark in the documentary.
- Ese tiburón tigre tiene rayas muy claras.That tiger shark has very clear stripes.
Example conversation
Javier and María are visiting a marine biology exhibit.
- JavierMira, María, aquel es un tiburón tigre.Look, María, that one is a tiger shark.
- MaríaEs impresionante el tamaño de sus dientes.The size of its teeth is impressive.
- JavierDicen que el tiburón tigre come de todo.They say the tiger shark eats everything.
- MaríaTienes razón, Javier, es un animal fascinante.You are right, Javier, it is a fascinating animal.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “tiger shark” translations and entries tiburón tigre, 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 tiburón, tigre, CC BY-SA 4.0.
