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flamenco

flah-MEN-koh/flaˈmeŋko/

flamenco

Also: flamenco song
NounmA1
A woman in a vibrant red dress performing a traditional Spanish dance with a fan.

📝 In Action

El flamenco es un arte muy antiguo de Andalucía.

A1

Flamenco is a very old art form from Andalusia.

Anoche fuimos a un espectáculo de flamenco en Sevilla.

A2

Last night we went to a flamenco show in Seville.

Ella baila flamenco con mucha pasión.

B1

She dances flamenco with a lot of passion.

Word Connections

Synonyms

Common Collocations

  • tablao flamenco – a venue where flamenco is performed
  • baile flamenco – flamenco dancing
  • guitarra flamenca – flamenco guitar

Idioms & Expressions

  • tener mucho duende – to have a magical soul or talent in flamenco

flamingo

NounmA2
A tall pink bird standing on one leg in shallow blue water.

📝 In Action

Vimos un flamenco rosa en la laguna.

A2

We saw a pink flamingo in the lagoon.

Los flamencos suelen estar sobre una sola pata.

B1

Flamingos are usually on just one leg.

Hay una colonia de flamencos que vive en este parque natural.

B2

There is a colony of flamingos living in this natural park.

Word Connections

Common Collocations

  • flamenco rosa – pink flamingo
  • bandada de flamencos – flock of flamingos

Flemish

A traditional brick house with a stepped gable roof characteristic of Flanders.

📝 In Action

Me gusta mucho la pintura flamenca del siglo diecisiete.

B1

I really like seventeenth-century Flemish painting.

Él tiene antepasados flamencos.

B2

He has Flemish ancestors.

El tapiz flamenco es famoso por su calidad.

C1

Flemish tapestry is famous for its quality.

cheeky

Also: cocky
AdjectivemC1informal
A small child with a playful, mischievous expression sticking their tongue out.

📝 In Action

No te pongas flamenco conmigo, que tengo razón.

C1

Don't get cheeky with me, because I'm right.

Llegó al bar muy flamenco, pidiendo la bebida más cara.

C1

He arrived at the bar acting very cocky, asking for the most expensive drink.

Word Connections

Synonyms

Idioms & Expressions

  • ponerse flamenco – to become defiant, arrogant, or cheeky during an argument

Vocabulary Collections

Translate to Spanish

Words that translate to "flamenco" in Spanish:

cheeky→cocky→flamenco→flamenco song→flamingo→flemish→

🗣️ Practice in a Tongue Twister

✏️ Quick Practice

Quick Quiz: flamenco

Question 1 of 3

If someone in Spain tells you '¡No te pongas flamenco!', what are they saying?

📚 More Resources

👥 Word Family▼
flamenca(flamenco woman) — Noun
flamenquín(a traditional fried meat roll from Córdoba) — Noun
aflamencado(flamenco-style) — Adjective
🎵 Rhymes▼
pencomenco
📚 Etymology▼

The history is debated! It likely comes from the Dutch word 'vlaming' (Flemish), but some believe it relates to 'flama' (flame) because of the bright colors of the bird and the fiery passion of the dance.

First recorded: 16th century

Cognates (Related words)

English: flamingoFrench: flamand

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Frequently Asked Questions

Does 'flamenco' always mean the dance?

No! It can mean the music style, the bird (flamingo), the Flemish region/people, or even 'cheeky' in slang.

Is it 'el flamenco' or 'la flamenca'?

Use 'el flamenco' for the genre. Use 'la flamenca' to refer specifically to a female dancer or a feminine object from Flanders.

Why does the bird have the same name as the dance?

Language experts aren't 100% sure, but they think both names might come from the idea of 'fire' or 'flame'—one for the bird's color and one for the dancer's intensity.