Spanish Conversation · Level 33
75 words
Spanish word
fábula
Pronunciation
IPA/ˈfaβula/
Meaning
- feminine nounfable
Example
Mi abuela me contó una fábula sobre un zorro y una gallina.
My grandmother told me a fable about a fox and a hen.
More examples
En el libro infantil hay una fábula que explica la amistad.
The children's book has a fable that explains friendship.
Core concept
Brief tale with talking animals that conveys a moral.
Common phrases
contar una fábula
relate a fable
fábula popular
folk fable
Similar words
cuento: Short made-up story that centers on imagined characters and incidents.
anécdota: Short recollection of a personal event, often told to amuse or reveal something.
historia: Story that presents events or facts in order to describe developments or outcomes.
Definition in Spanish
Relato breve, generalmente protagonizado por animales u objetos personificados, que transmite una enseñanza moral.
Word origin
From Latin fabula 'story' (from the verb fari 'to speak'), originally referring to spoken or theatrical tales and later used for short instructive stories.
Usage tips
- In everyday use fábula often names the traditional short moral tale but can also be used dismissively to mean a made-up or implausible story, so context determines whether it is literal or ironic.