vaquería
Lemma Details
Translation: dairy farm; cattle ranch; cowboy festival; cowboy dance
Part of Speech: noun
Etymology: Derived from 'vaca' (cow) + '-ería' (a suffix indicating place or activity related to something). The suffix '-ería' is common in Spanish to denote establishments or businesses, similar to English '-ery' as in 'bakery'. The root 'vaca' comes from Latin 'vacca' (cow), which shares Indo-European origins with English words like 'vaccine' (originally derived from cowpox used for immunization).
Commonality: 40%
Guessability: 60%
Register: neutral
Example Usage
Mi abuelo trabajó toda su vida en una vaquería.
My grandfather worked his entire life on a dairy farm.
Visitamos una vaquería durante nuestro viaje a México.
We visited a cattle ranch during our trip to Mexico.
La vaquería yucateca es una celebración tradicional con bailes y música.
The Yucatecan vaquería is a traditional celebration with dances and music.
Mnemonics
- Think 'vaca' (cow) + '-ería' (place) = 'place for cows'
- Similar to 'bakery' being a place for baking, 'vaquería' is a place for cows
Synonyms
Cultural Context
In Mexico and parts of Central America, 'vaquería' also refers to traditional festivities with music and dance that originated in cattle ranches. In the Yucatán Peninsula of Mexico, it specifically refers to a traditional dance celebration with distinctive music and colorful attire. In Spain and other parts of Latin America, it primarily refers to dairy farms or cattle ranches.
Easily Confused With
Explanation: 'Vaquería' is the place (dairy farm or cattle ranch), while 'vaquero' is the person (cowboy) who works with cattle.
Confused word:
El vaquero montó su caballo para reunir el ganado.
The cowboy rode his horse to gather the cattle.
Notes: Both words share the same root 'vaca' (cow) but have different suffixes that change their meaning completely.
Mnemonic: 'Vaquería' ends with '-ía' like many place names (panadería, librería), while 'vaquero' ends with '-ero' like many profession names (panadero, librero).
Explanation: While both refer to places for cattle, 'vaquería' is more commonly used for commercial dairy farms or cattle ranches, while 'vaqueriza' specifically refers to a cowshed or cattle stable.
This word:
La vaquería produce leche para toda la región.
The dairy farm produces milk for the entire region.
Confused word:
Durante el invierno, el ganado permanece en la vaqueriza.
During winter, the cattle stay in the cowshed.
Notes: In many regions, 'vaquería' is much more commonly used than 'vaqueriza'.
Mnemonic: Think of 'vaqueriza' as more focused on the shelter aspect (like a building), while 'vaquería' encompasses the entire operation.