Soon we will be celebrating Thanksgiving, one of my favorites holidays. The special thing about Thanksgiving is the true meaning of being grateful for what you have. This is not a holiday about Christians or any religion; you can be thankful to God, life, destiny or whatever you want.
Even though this holiday is not celebrated in Latin America, in Puerto Rico we adopted it from the United States. We prepare the traditional turkey; sometimes stuffed with mofongo or seasoned like pork (what we call pavochón). Most of the sides are very local; for example, you can taste a delicious arroz con gandules and a flan for dessert.
The word for turkey in Spanish is quite straightforward – it’s “pavo”. However, there are some variations and synonyms that are good to know, especially if you are traveling to different Spanish-speaking countries.
The Most Common Word for Turkey is “Pavo”
The most universal and commonly understood word for turkey in Spanish is “pavo”. This is used in most countries and will be readily understood.
Some examples of using “pavo” are
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Vamos a comer pavo para la cena de Acción de Gracias. (We’re going to eat turkey for the Thanksgiving dinner.)
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Me gusta el sándwich de pavo. (I like turkey sandwiches.)
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¿Tienes muslos de pavo? (Do you have turkey legs?)
So if you just need the basic translation for turkey, “pavo” is the word to use.
Regional Variations for Turkey
However, there are some regional variations of the word turkey that are good to know:
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In Mexico and Central America, “guajolote” is commonly used instead of pavo.
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In Guatemala and parts of Central America, “chompipe” is used.
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In Cuba, the word for turkey is “guanajo”.
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In Colombia, they use “pisco” for turkey.
So if you are traveling to these areas, you may come across these different words for turkey. Some examples:
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En Mexico, comemos guajolote en el Día de Acción de Gracias. (In Mexico, we eat turkey on Thanksgiving Day.)
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Mi abuela cocina un chompipe delicioso. (My grandmother cooks a delicious turkey.)
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En Cuba, el guanajo es popular para la cena navideña. (In Cuba, turkey is popular for Christmas dinner.)
Slang Uses of “Turkey”
In slang or informal Spanish, turkey can also mean:
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A failure or flop – for example “That movie was a total turkey.” would translate to “Esa película fue un fracaso total.”
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A clumsy or foolish person – “Él es un pavo.” (He’s a turkey.)
Other Useful Turkey Vocabulary
Here are some other turkey-related words that may come up in Spanish:
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Turkey sandwich = el sándwich de pavo
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Turkey bacon = el tocino de pavo
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Ground turkey = la carne molida de pavo
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Turkey burger = la hamburguesa de pavo
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Turkey buzzard = el aura gallipavo (type of vulture)
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Cold turkey = en seco (quitting something abruptly)
While “pavo” is the standard Spanish word for turkey, having awareness of the regional variations and slang uses can help you communicate about this bird more fluently. Listen for context clues when traveling to pick up on the local words. And don’t be surprised if someone jokingly calls you a “pavo” (turkey) if you do something foolish!
6 Spanish Language Words for TURKEY
Ok, enough of food and let’s talk about Spanish differences.
In Spanish turkey is a very simple word to translate: pavo. But wait, there is more! Pavo is not the only word in Spanish for turkey. In Cuba you say guanajo, in Mexico guajolote and cócono, in Colombia pisco and finally in Guatemala chompipe.
But with these to words you have to be careful because depending on the context it also could mean a dumb person.
Are any of these words used in other Hispanic countries? Do you know of any others Spanish synonyms for turkey?
How to say Turkey in Spanish
FAQ
What is turkey called in Mexico?
What is the Spanish word for turkey?
What is turkey meat in Spanish?
Is it guanajo or pavo?