cebra
/ˈθebɾa/feminine
The Spanish word for zebra is cebra. Wiktionary also lists zebra (tsebra, disused).
Meaning: African animal (noun)
Ways to say it
| Spanish | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| cebra | /ˈθebɾa/ /ˈsebɾa/ |
feminine |
| zebra (tsebra, disused) | feminine |
The term refers to the African animal. If you want to be informal and playful, you can also use the phrase burro de rayas, which literally means striped donkey.
How does it change in a sentence?
The plural form of cebra is las cebras.
How do you pronounce it?
/ˈθebɾa/
What mistakes should you avoid?
Avoid using the English spelling zebra. In Spanish, the correct spelling is cebra.
Did you know?
- In many Spanish-speaking countries, a 'zebra crossing' is called a paso de cebra.
- The Spanish word cebra shares a distant root with the English word 'feral', via the Latin ferus meaning 'wild'.
- The letter 'c' in cebra is pronounced as a 'th' sound in Spain but as an 's' sound in Latin America.
Examples in context
- ¿Eso es una cebra?Is that a zebra?This sentence is useful for asking if a specific animal is a cebra.Tatoeba #10067564 by manufrutos, translation #6011538 by zumley
- ¿Es tuya esta cebra?Is this zebra yours?This sentence is useful for asking about the ownership of a cebra.Tatoeba #10067558 by manufrutos, translation #8246470 by francaisr0wlet
- Vi una cebra en el zoo.I saw a zebra at the zoo.This sentence is useful for describing seeing a cebra at a zoo.Tatoeba #9183448 by ignacio, translation #9183164 by CK
- Vi una cebra en el zoológico hoy.I saw a zebra at the zoo today.
- Las cebras son animales hermosos.Zebras are beautiful animals.
- ¿Has aprendido algo interesante sobre las cebras?Have you learned anything interesting about zebras?
Example conversation
Javier and Sofía are looking at a nature documentary on TV.
- JavierMira esa cebra en la pantalla.Look at that zebra on the screen.
- SofíaEs una cebra muy bonita, Javier.It is a very beautiful zebra, Javier.
- JavierParece que está corriendo rápido.It looks like it is running fast.
- SofíaSí, las cebras son muy ágiles.Yes, zebras are very agile.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “zebra” translations and entries cebra, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
