ukelele
/ukeˈlele/masculine
The English phrase "ukulele" is translated into Spanish as ukelele. Wiktionary also lists guitarra hawaiana.
Meaning: small four-stringed guitar (noun)
Ways to say it
| Spanish | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| ukelele | /ukeˈlele/ | masculine |
| guitarra hawaiana | /ɡiˈtara awaˈjana/ (word by word) | feminine |
Both ukelele and guitarra hawaiana refer to the small four-stringed guitar.
Which one should you use?
ukelele is a direct loanword, whereas guitarra hawaiana is a descriptive phrase that literally means "Hawaiian guitar".
How does it change in a sentence?
ukelele is a masculine noun and should be used with the masculine article el. The phrase guitarra hawaiana is a feminine noun phrase and is used with the feminine article la.
How do you pronounce it?
/ukeˈlele/
Did you know?
- The term guitarra hawaiana can sometimes refer to a slide guitar played with a steel bar, creating a potential misunderstanding with the small four-stringed ukelele.
- The word guitarra is a linguistic descendant of the Ancient Greek word κῐθᾰ́ρᾱ, which traveled through Aramaic and Arabic before entering Old Spanish.
- In Spanish, the ukelele is classified as part of the cuerdas pulsadas family, a specific technical term for instruments where strings are plucked rather than bowed.
Examples in context
- ¿Sabes tocar el ukelele?Can you play the ukulele?This sentence is useful for asking if someone has the ability to play the ukelele.Tatoeba #7979845 by Seael, translation #7979844 by CK
- ¿Por qué trajiste tu ukelele?Why did you bring your ukulele?This sentence is useful for asking why someone brought their ukelele.Tatoeba #1993282 by marcelostockle, translation #1886519 by CK
- No he tocado el ukelele en años.I haven't played the ukulele in years.This sentence is useful for stating that you have not played the ukelele for a long time.Tatoeba #2050784 by Alba, translation #2050653 by CK
- ¿Alguien ha traído su ukelele para la reunión?Has anyone brought their ukulele to the gathering?
- El ukelele es un instrumento popular en la música tradicional hawaiana.The ukulele is a popular instrument in traditional Hawaiian music.
- 6 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Lucía and Alejandro are at a music store.
- LucíaMira ese ukelele en la vitrina.Look at that ukulele in the display case.
- AlejandroEs un ukelele muy bonito, Lucía.It is a very beautiful ukulele, Lucía.
- Lucía¿Quieres probarlo?Do you want to try it?
- AlejandroSí, quiero ver cómo suena.Yes, I want to see how it sounds.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “ukulele” translations and entries ukelele, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- IPA marked “word by word” joins the Wiktionary pronunciations of each word (guitarra, hawaiana) and can differ in connected speech.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries guitarra, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
