cangrejo

kan-GREH-ho/kaŋˈɡɾexo/

“cangrejo” means “crab” in Spanish (the animal or the seafood).

crab

Also: crayfish

General

Había muchos cangrejos en las rocas de la playa.

There were many crabs on the rocks at the beach.

Pedimos una ensalada con palitos de cangrejo.

We ordered a salad with crab sticks.

Ese proyecto va como el cangrejo; en vez de avanzar, retrocede.

That project is going backwards; instead of moving forward, it's regressing.

Words that translate to "cangrejo" in Spanish:

Question 1 of 2

What does the expression 'ir como el cangrejo' mean?

👥 Word Family▼

cangrejal(an area full of crabs) — Noun

cangrejera(crab trap / water shoe) — Noun

🎵 Rhymes▼

📚 Etymology▼

Derived from the Latin word 'cancriculus', which is a smaller version of 'cancer', meaning 'crab'.

First recorded: 13th century

Cognates (Related words)

Latin: cancerItalian: granchio

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Does 'cangrejo' refer to both sea and river animals?

Yes! While it usually refers to sea crabs, you can specify 'cangrejo de río' for freshwater crayfish.

Is there a female version of the word?

No, 'cangrejo' is a masculine noun. To specify the sex of the animal, you would say 'el cangrejo macho' (male) or 'el cangrejo hembra' (female).