Spanish Conversation · Level 120
60 words
Spanish word
sapo
Pronunciation
IPA/ˈsapo/
Meaning
- masculine nountoad
Example
El niño tiró una piedra y el sapo saltó.
The boy threw a stone and the toad jumped.
More examples
Vimos un sapo en el jardín.
We saw a toad in the garden.
Core concept
Small amphibian with dry, bumpy skin and a stout body.
Common phrases
ver un sapo
see a toad
encontrar un sapo
find a toad
tocar un sapo
touch a toad
Similar words
rana: Moist-bodied amphibian with smooth skin and powerful hind legs, typically found at pond edges.
Definition in Spanish
1. Anfibio de piel verrugosa y hábitos terrestres, llamado sapo. 2. En algunos países, palabra coloquial para una persona que denuncia o chivatea a otros.
Word origin
The Spanish word is inherited from a Romance animal name and originally denoted the warty terrestrial toad, later extending regionally as colloquial slang for someone who reports others.
Usage tips
- The figurative meaning 'informer' is regional and colloquial, so context and the speaker's background determine whether sapo refers to the animal or a person who tattles.