Spanish vocabulary · Beginner
How to Say Jellyfish in Spanish: Medusa, Aguamala, and Aguaviva
Medusa · noun · meh-DOO-sah
Jellyfish in Spanish is medusa, a feminine noun used universally. Regional variants include aguamala (literally 'bad water') in Mexico and the Caribbean, and aguaviva ('living water') in Argentina and Uruguay. All three refer to the same translucent marine creature.
meh-DOO-sah. Three syllables, stress on the second. The 's' is always a clean 's' sound, not a 'z.'
Ten cuidado al nadar, hay medusas cerca de la orilla.
Be careful swimming, there are jellyfish near the shore.
Jellyfish in Spanish: Quick Reference
Below are the most common Spanish words for jellyfish, with pronunciation and regional usage notes.
| Spanish | English | Pronunciation | Region / Register |
|---|---|---|---|
| medusa | jellyfish | meh-DOO-sah | Default, widely understood |
| aguamala | jellyfish | Mexico and Caribbean | |
| aguaviva | jellyfish | Argentina, Uruguay, parts of the Caribbean |
How Native Speakers Use Medusa
Real example sentences across three contexts you'll actually run into.
Beach warning
Pusieron bandera roja porque hay muchas medusas hoy.
They put up a red flag because there are a lot of jellyfish today.
Beach safety signs and lifeguard warnings are where you'll most often encounter this word.
Mexican regional variant
Me picó una aguamala cuando estaba buceando en Cancún.
A jellyfish stung me when I was snorkeling in Cancún.
Aguamala is the everyday term on Mexico's coasts. Picar (to sting) is the verb used for jellyfish stings.
Nature documentary context
Las medusas no tienen cerebro, corazón ni huesos.
Jellyfish have no brain, heart, or bones.
Scientific and educational content consistently uses medusa as the standard term.
Avoid These Mistakes When Using Medusa
Capitalizing Medusa as a proper noun
Incorrect: Vi una Medusa en la playa.
Correct: Vi una medusa en la playa.
When referring to the animal, medusa is a common noun and is not capitalized. Only capitalize it when referring to the Greek mythological figure.
Using pez for jellyfish
Incorrect: Un pez de gelatina me picó.
Correct: Una medusa me picó.
A jellyfish is not a fish (pez). There is no compound like 'jelly-fish' in Spanish. The dedicated word medusa is always used.
Lock in Jellyfish 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 Medusa used by native speakers
Parrot's short-form videos feature native speakers using medusa in real situations. Context-based exposure beats flashcards, you hear Ten cuidado al nadar, hay medusas cerca de la orilla. 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 Jellyfish in Spanish
- Why is a jellyfish called medusa in Spanish?
- The name comes from Medusa, the snake-haired figure in Greek mythology. The jellyfish's trailing tentacles were thought to resemble Medusa's serpentine hair. This naming convention is shared with Italian, Portuguese, and other Romance languages.
- How do you say 'jellyfish sting' in Spanish?
- Picadura de medusa. The verb is picar: 'me picó una medusa' (a jellyfish stung me). For treatment, you might hear 'aplicar vinagre en la picadura' (apply vinegar to the sting).
- Is aguamala offensive or informal?
- Aguamala carries zero negative connotation—it is simply the everyday word for jellyfish along Mexico's and the Caribbean's coasts. It is perfectly appropriate in any conversation and simply means 'bad water,' referencing the sting.