mariposa
/mah-ree-poh-sah/
butterfly
A 'mariposa' is a colorful butterfly that flies through the air.
mariposa(noun)
butterfly
?the flying insect
social butterfly
?someone who flits from person to person at a party
📝 In Action
Vi una mariposa de colores en el jardín.
A1I saw a colorful butterfly in the garden.
Las mariposas monarca migran miles de kilómetros.
B1Monarch butterflies migrate thousands of kilometers.
💡 Grammar Points
Always Feminine
This word is always feminine ('la mariposa'), even if you are talking about a male butterfly. To specify, you would say 'la mariposa macho'.
❌ Common Pitfalls
Changing the Ending
Mistake: "el mariposo"
Correction: la mariposa (the word doesn't change based on the insect's biological sex).
⭐ Usage Tips
Romantic Context
Just like in English, 'tener mariposas' is used to describe that fluttery feeling you get when you're in love or nervous about a big event.
In swimming, 'mariposa' refers to the butterfly stroke technique.
📝 In Action
Ella ganó la medalla de oro en los cien metros mariposa.
B1She won the gold medal in the hundred-meter butterfly.
Nadar a mariposa es muy agotador.
B2Swimming butterfly is very exhausting.
⭐ Usage Tips
Using 'a'
When talking about swimming styles, we often use the word 'a' before the style: 'nadar a mariposa' (to swim butterfly style).
✏️ Quick Practice
💡 Quick Quiz: mariposa
Question 1 of 2
If you are talking about a male butterfly, what should you say?
📚 More Resources
Frequently Asked Questions
Is 'mariposa' used for moths too?
Generally, no. Moths are usually called 'polillas' in Spanish, though scientifically they belong to the same family.
Why is it a feminine word?
In Spanish, all nouns have a grammatical gender. 'Mariposa' just happens to be feminine, and this doesn't change based on the actual sex of the insect.