Spanish vocabulary · Beginner
How to Say "Capybara" in Spanish: Capibara, Carpincho, and Chigüire
Capibara · noun (masculine/feminine depending on individual) · kah-pee-BAH-rah
Capybara in Spanish is capibara (the pan-Hispanic scientific name), but each South American country has its own common name: carpincho (Argentina, Uruguay), chigüire (Venezuela, Colombia), and ronsoco (Peru). The animal is native to South America.
kah-pee-BAH-rah — four syllables, stress on BAH. Carpincho: kahr-PEEN-choh. Chigüire: chee-GWEE-reh.
Los capibaras son los roedores más grandes del mundo.
Capybaras are the largest rodents in the world.
Capybara in Spanish: Quick Reference
Below are the most common Spanish words for capybara, with pronunciation and regional usage notes.
| Spanish | English | Pronunciation | Region / Register |
|---|---|---|---|
| capibara | capybara | kah-pee-BAH-rah | Default, widely understood |
| carpincho | capybara | Argentina, Uruguay | |
| chigüire | capybara | Venezuela, Colombia | |
| ronsoco | capybara | Peru |
How Native Speakers Use Capibara
Real example sentences across three contexts you'll actually run into.
General/scientific
El capibara puede pesar hasta ochenta kilos y medir un metro de largo.
The capybara can weigh up to eighty kilos and measure a meter in length.
Capibara is the standard/scientific term used in textbooks and across regions.
Argentine/Uruguayan (carpincho)
Vimos una familia de carpinchos descansando junto al río.
We saw a family of capybaras resting by the river.
In Argentina and Uruguay, carpincho is the everyday name — capibara sounds overly formal.
Venezuelan (chigüire)
En Semana Santa, muchos venezolanos comen chigüire porque se considera un animal acuático.
During Holy Week, many Venezuelans eat capybara because it's considered an aquatic animal.
Chigüire in Venezuela — culturally significant as a permitted Lenten food due to its semi-aquatic nature.
Avoid These Mistakes When Using Capibara
Using capybara with English spelling in Spanish
Incorrect: Vi un capybara en el zoológico.
Correct: Vi un capibara en el zoológico.
The Spanish spelling is capibara (with i, not y, and no y before the final a). The English capybara and Spanish capibara both come from Guaraní kapiÿva but adapted differently.
Using carpincho in Venezuela or vice versa
Incorrect: En Venezuela les dicen carpinchos.
Correct: En Venezuela les dicen chigüires.
Each country has its own name. Using the wrong regional name sounds odd — like calling it a groundhog instead of a woodchuck in the wrong U.S. region, but more extreme.
Lock in Capybara Vocabulary with the Parrot Method
Why word lists alone don't stick
Memorizing a translation feels productive, but most learners forget 70% of what they studied within 48 hours. Vocabulary needs spaced repetition AND real-world exposure to transfer to long-term memory.
See Capibara used by native speakers
Parrot's short-form videos feature native speakers using capibara in real situations. Context-based exposure beats flashcards, you hear Los capibaras son los roedores más grandes del mundo. while watching someone live the moment, connecting meaning, sound, and rhythm at once.
Save, review, repeat, stay consistent
Tap any word to save it. Parrot's spaced-repetition system surfaces it right before you'd forget, no manual flashcard creation. The watch, parrot back, save, review cycle turns recognition into fluency at 2.7x the speed of traditional study.
Common Questions About Capybara in Spanish
- How do you say capybara in Spanish?
- The universal term is capibara. Regional names: carpincho (Argentina, Uruguay), chigüire (Venezuela, Colombia), ronsoco (Peru), capibara/capivara (Brazil, in Portuguese). Each country where the animal lives has its own common name.
- Why does the capybara have so many names in Spanish?
- Because it's native to South America and each indigenous language gave it a different name before Spanish colonization. Capibara comes from Guaraní, carpincho from Charrúa languages, chigüire from a Carib language, and ronsoco from Quechua.
- Can you eat capybara in South America?
- Yes, in some regions. In Venezuela, chigüire is traditionally eaten during Lent and Holy Week because the Catholic Church historically classified it as a fish (due to its aquatic habits). In Argentina, carpincho meat is consumed in some rural areas.