pavo
/ˈpabo/masculine
The English word turkey refers to the bird in the genus Meleagris, which is pavo in Spanish. Wiktionary also lists chompipe and chumpe.
Meaning: bird in the genus Meleagris (noun)
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 |
Pavo is the most widely understood and standard term for the bird across the Spanish-speaking world.
Which one should you use?
While pavo refers to the bird, the word Turquía must be used when referring to the country at the intersection of Europe and Asia.
Is it said differently in some regions?
chumpe is used in El Salvador. cócono is used in Central and Northern Mexico. guajolote and pípila are used in Mexico. güíjolo is also used in Mexico. guanajo is used in Cuba. And pisco is used in Colombia.
Related words
How does it change in a sentence?
The masculine noun pavo becomes pavos in its plural form.
How do you pronounce it?
/ˈpabo/
Did you know?
- In Spanish, the word pavo is used as a slang term for a person who is naive or acting silly, similar to calling someone a 'goose' or 'dummy' in English.
- While pavo is the standard, the term cócono used in parts of Mexico may actually derive from the Nahuatl word for 'children', cōconeh.
- The term gallina de la sierra literally translates to 'chicken of the mountain', reflecting how early settlers categorized the unfamiliar bird.
Examples in context
- Ella asó el pavo.She roasted the turkey.This sentence is useful for describing the action of roasting pavo.Tatoeba #2033096 by Shishir, translation #2032998 by Spamster
- Este pavo sabe bien.This turkey tastes good.This sentence is useful for describing the taste of pavo.Tatoeba #1396909 by marcelostockle, translation #58817 by CK
- Cocinas pavo con peras.You cook turkey with pears.This sentence is useful for describing cooking pavo with other ingredients.Tatoeba #10266809 by Seael, translation #4306253 by jshholland
- ¿Podría preparar un exquisito platillo con un pavo para nuestra reunión de negocios? Queremos impresionar a nuestros clientes con la cocina y la cultura guatemalteca.Can you please prepare a delicious dish with a turkey for our business gathering? We would like to impress our clients with Guatemalan cuisine and culture.
- ¡Oye! ¿Quieres venir a cenar en Acción de Gracias? ¡Vamos a asar un guajolote y pasaremos un gran momento!Hey, would you like to come over for Thanksgiving dinner? We're going to roast a guajolote and have a great time!
- 24 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Elena and Alejandro are at a local farm market.
- ElenaMira ese pavo grande.Look at that big turkey.
- Alejandro¿Es un pavo de granja?Is it a farm turkey?
- ElenaSí, el pavo se ve sano.Yes, the turkey looks healthy.
- AlejandroEntonces compraremos el pavo.Then we will buy the turkey.
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.
