Ways to say it
| Spanish | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| pavo | /ˈpabo/ | masculine |
| chompipe | /t͡ʃomˈpipe/ | Costa Rica, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua, masculine |
| chumpe | /ˈt͡ʃumpe/ | El Salvador, masculine |
| cócono | /ˈkokono/ | Central, Mexico, Northern, masculine |
| guajolote | /ɡwaxoˈlote/ | masculine |
| guanajo | /ɡwaˈnaxo/ | Cuba, masculine |
| pisco | /ˈpisko/ | Colombia, masculine |
| pípila | /ˈpipila/ | Mexico, feminine |
| güíjolo | /ɡwixolo/ (from spelling rules) | Mexico, masculine |
| gallina de la sierra | /ɡaˌʝina de la ˈsjera/ | feminine |
| xolo (sholo) | masculine |
This term refers to the bird in the genus Meleagris. Note that if you are referring to the country, you must use the related form Turquía.
Which one should you use?
While pavo is the general term for the bird, Turquía is used to refer to the country. In formal contexts, the country is referred to as República de Turquía.
Is it said differently in some regions?
Many regional variations exist for the bird. In Mexico, guajolote is a common term derived from the Nahuatl word huexolotl and pípila or güíjolo may also be used. In Central Mexico and Northern Mexico, cócono is used. In Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua, Costa Rica, chompipe is used, while in El Salvador, chumpe is common. In Cuba, the term guanajo is used. In Colombia, you may hear pisco.
Related words
How does it change in a sentence?
The word pavo is a masculine noun, and its plural form is pavos. Some regional terms like pípila or gallina de la sierra are feminine.
How do you pronounce it?
/ˈpabo/
Did you know?
- In Spain and parts of Latin America, calling someone a pavo can be a slang term for a naive or silly person.
- The phrase estás pavoneando comes from the root of pavo and means to show off or strut arrogantly.
- The Mexican term cócono may be derived from the Nahuatl word for 'children'.
Examples in context
- Ella asó el pavo.She roasted the turkey.This sentence shows how to use pavo in the context of roasting.Tatoeba #2033096 by Shishir, translation #2032998 by Spamster
- Este pavo sabe bien.This turkey tastes good.This sentence uses pavo to describe the taste of the bird.Tatoeba #1396909 by marcelostockle, translation #58817 by CK
- Cocinas pavo con peras.You cook turkey with pears.This sentence demonstrates a cooking method using pavo.Tatoeba #10266809 by Seael, translation #4306253 by jshholland
- ¡Me encantaría visitar Turquía algún día!I would love to visit Turkey someday!
- Aprendí algunas palabras en turco durante mi estadía en Turquía.I learned some words in Turkish during my stay in Turkey.
- 24 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Daniel and Elena are walking through a countryside farm.
- DanielMira, Elena, hay un pavo allí.Look, Elena, there is a turkey there.
- ElenaEs un pavo muy bonito.It is a very pretty turkey.
- DanielEl pavo parece estar comiendo.The turkey seems to be eating.
- ElenaDaniel, no lo asustes.Daniel, don't scare it.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “turkey” translations and entries pavo, chompipe, chumpe, cócono, guajolote, guanajo, pisco, pípila, gallina de la sierra, 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 cócono, pavo, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
