vaca
Lemma Details
Translation: cow; beef
Part of Speech: noun
Etymology: From Latin 'vacca' meaning 'cow'. The Latin term has given rise to similar words in other Romance languages like French 'vache' and Italian 'vacca'. The English word 'vaccine' is related, as it comes from 'vaccinus' (of or from cows), because the first vaccines were derived from cowpox lesions.
Commonality: 80%
Guessability: 30%
Register: neutral
Mnemonics
- Think of 'vacation' - some people vacation on farms where they might see cows.
- Sounds like 'baca' (roof rack in Spanish) - imagine a cow riding on top of a car.
Related Words, Phrases & Idioms
Synonyms
Antonyms
Example Wordforms
Cultural Context
In Spanish-speaking countries, especially in rural areas, cows are important livestock. In Spain, there are also traditions involving bulls and cows, such as 'encierros' (running of the bulls). In Latin America, cattle ranching is an important economic activity in countries like Argentina and Mexico.
Easily Confused With
Explanation: While 'vaca' means 'cow', 'baca' refers to a roof rack on a car. They sound identical but have different spellings and completely different meanings.
Confused word:
Pusimos las maletas en la baca del coche.
We put the suitcases on the car's roof rack.
Notes: In Spanish, 'v' and 'b' are pronounced the same way, which causes this confusion.
Mnemonic: 'Vaca' with a 'v' is for the animal, while 'baca' with a 'b' is for the object on top of a car (think of 'b' as the top of the car).
Explanation: 'Vaca' (cow) and 'vago' (lazy person or vagrant) share similar spelling but have completely different meanings.
Notes: Both words begin with 'va-' but have different meanings and uses.
Mnemonic: 'Vaca' ends with 'a' like many feminine nouns, while 'vago' ends with 'o' like many masculine nouns.