tortuga
/toɾˈtuɡa/feminine
The Spanish word for tortoise is tortuga. Wiktionary also lists tortuga terrestre and morrocoy.
Meaning: land-dwelling reptile (noun)
Ways to say it
| Spanish | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| tortuga | /toɾˈtuɡa/ | feminine |
| tortuga terrestre | /toɾtuɡa terestɾe/ (from spelling rules) | feminine |
| morrocoy | /moroˈkoi/ | masculine |
| galápago | /ɡaˈlapaɡo/ | masculine |
| morrocoyo | /morokoʝo/ (from spelling rules) | masculine |
| tequeteque | /teketeke/ (from spelling rules) | masculine |
In Spanish, the word tortuga is used for both 'tortoise' (land-dwelling) and 'turtle' (water-dwelling) in Spanish.
Which one should you use?
The phrase tortuga terrestre is used specifically to distinguish a land tortoise from aquatic turtles. The masculine forms morrocoy, galápago, morrocoyo and tequeteque are also used.
Is it said differently in some regions?
The term morrocoy is commonly used in parts of South America, particularly Venezuela, to refer to certain types of tortoises. The term galápago is used in several Spanish-speaking regions to refer to tortoises, often specifically those from the Galápagos Islands.
How does it change in a sentence?
The default form tortuga is a feminine noun. The regional terms morrocoy, morrocoyo, galápago and tequeteque are masculine nouns.
How do you pronounce it?
/toɾˈtuɡa/
Did you know?
- The word tortuga likely descends from the Ancient Greek tartaroûkhos, referring to a spirit of the underworld named Tártaros.
- The term morrocoy has its origins in Cumanagoto, an indigenous language of South America. This highlights how indigenous linguistic heritage preserves specific names for local fauna in Spanish-speaking regions.
- While tortuga is the standard term, the word tequeteque is used in certain regions to refer to a tortoise. This rhythmic name sounds more like an onomatopoeia than a scientific term.
Examples in context
- ¿Ésa es tu tortuga?Is that your tortoise?This sentence is useful for asking if a tortoise belongs to someone using tortuga.Tatoeba #7216067 by arh, translation #13423878 by araneo
- La liebre fue adelantada por la tortuga.The hare was overtaken by the tortoise.This sentence illustrates the tortoise being overtaken in a story using tortuga.Tatoeba #6085159 by albrusgher, translation #537039 by tomkun01
- ¿Conoces la paradoja de Aquiles y la tortuga?Do you know the paradox about Achilles and the tortoise?This sentence refers to the paradox of Achilles and the tortoise using tortuga.Tatoeba #5019876 by don_ramon, translation #10161620 by ddnktr
- 8 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Javier and María are at a local zoo.
- JavierMira, una tortuga gigante.Look, a giant tortoise.
- MaríaEs muy bonita la tortuga.The tortoise is very beautiful.
- JavierParece que es muy vieja.It looks like it is very old.
- MaríaSí, la tortuga se mueve lento.Yes, the tortoise moves slowly.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “tortoise” translations and entries tortuga, morrocoy, galápago, 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 galápago, morrocoy, terrestre, tortuga, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
