Spanish word

golondrina

Pronunciation

IPA/golonˈdɾina/

Meaning

  • feminine nounswallow

Example

¿Has visto a la golondrina?

Have you seen the swallow?

Illustration for golondrina (swallow)

More examples

Vi un nido de golondrina en el balcón.

I saw a swallow's nest on the balcony.

Core concept

Small migratory bird with pointed wings and a forked tail that nests under eaves and catches insects in flight.

Common phrases

  • nido de golondrina

    swallow's nest

  • golondrina en vuelo

    swallow in flight

Similar words

pájaro: Feathered creature with wings that flies.
paloma: Medium-sized plump bird commonly seen in parks and cities, often found near people.
gorrión: Very small brown sparrow-like bird that often perches on wires and searches for seeds.

Definition in Spanish

Ave pequeña y migratoria de vuelo rápido y alas puntiagudas que suele anidar bajo los aleros y cazar insectos en vuelo.

Word origin

From Latin hirundo (genitive hirundinis), passed down through the Romance languages and regular sound changes into Spanish golondrina.

Usage tips

  • A feminine noun used with la and plural las, and mentioning 'Han vuelto las golondrinas' naturally signals the return of spring in everyday conversation.

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