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canario

kah-NAH-ryoh/kaˈnaɾjo/

“canario” means “canary” in Spanish. It has 3 different meanings depending on context:

canary

Also: songbird
NounmA1
A small, bright yellow canary bird perched on a simple wooden branch.

📝 In Action

El canario canta muy bien por las mañanas.

A1

The canary sings very well in the mornings.

Necesito comprar comida para mi canario.

A1

I need to buy food for my canary.

Los mineros usaban canarios para detectar gases peligrosos.

B1

Miners used canaries to detect dangerous gases.

Word Connections

Synonyms

  • pájaro (bird)

Common Collocations

  • canto del canario – canary's song
  • canario amarillo – yellow canary

Idioms & Expressions

  • ser un canario – to be a 'snitch' or someone who talks too much to the authorities

Canarian

Spain
A traditional white house with a red tiled roof and a wooden balcony, typical of Canary Island architecture.

📝 In Action

Mi mejor amigo es canario, nació en Tenerife.

A2

My best friend is Canarian; he was born in Tenerife.

Me encanta el plátano canario.

A2

I love the Canarian banana.

La lucha canaria es un deporte tradicional muy famoso.

B2

Canarian wrestling is a very famous traditional sport.

Word Connections

Synonyms

  • isleño (islander)

Antonyms

  • peninsular (person from mainland Spain)

Common Collocations

  • islas canarias – Canary Islands
  • pueblo canario – Canarian people

canary yellow

NounmB1
A solid, vibrant splash of bright canary yellow paint on a clean white surface.

📝 In Action

Pintó su cuarto de un color canario muy brillante.

B1

She painted her room a very bright canary yellow.

Ese vestido canario resalta mucho con tu piel.

B2

That canary-yellow dress really stands out against your skin.

El equipo lleva una camiseta de color canario.

A2

The team wears a canary-yellow jersey.

Word Connections

Synonyms

Common Collocations

  • color canario – canary color
  • amarillo canario – canary yellow

Vocabulary Collections

Translate to Spanish

Words that translate to "canario" in Spanish:

canarian→canary→canary yellow→songbird→

✏️ Quick Practice

Quick Quiz: canario

Question 1 of 3

If you meet someone from Tenerife, how would you describe them?

📚 More Resources

👥 Word Family▼
Canarias(Canary Islands) — Noun
canarión(someone specifically from Gran Canaria (slang)) — Noun
encanariarse(to become like a Canarian) — Verb
🎵 Rhymes▼
📚 Etymology▼

From the Latin 'Canariae Insulae' (Islands of Dogs). Early explorers found large dogs there, not birds. The birds were later named after the islands where they were found.

First recorded: 15th century

Cognates (Related words)

English: canaryFrench: canari

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Frequently Asked Questions

Is 'canario' always masculine?

No. When referring to a woman from the islands or a female bird, it changes to 'canaria'.

Do I capitalize 'canario' when talking about a person?

No, in Spanish, nationalities and regional origins are written in lowercase.

Can 'canario' be a verb?

No, 'canario' is only used as a noun or an adjective.