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panda

PAN-dah/ˈpan.da/

“panda” means “panda” in Spanish. It has 2 different meanings depending on context:

panda

Also: giant panda
NounmA1
A fluffy black and white giant panda sitting and eating a green bamboo stalk.

📝 In Action

El panda come mucho bambú.

A1

The panda eats a lot of bamboo.

Fuimos al zoológico para ver al nuevo panda gigante.

A2

We went to the zoo to see the new giant panda.

Los pandas son una especie protegida en todo el mundo.

B1

Pandas are a protected species all over the world.

Word Connections

Synonyms

  • oso panda (panda bear)

Common Collocations

  • panda gigante – giant panda
  • panda rojo – red panda
  • en peligro de extinción – endangered

gang, group

Also: crew
NounfB2informal
Spain
A small group of diverse children walking together with their arms around each other's shoulders.

📝 In Action

Salí a cenar con toda mi panda.

B2

I went out to dinner with my whole gang of friends.

Esa panda de gamberros siempre hace ruido.

C1

That bunch of hooligans is always making noise.

No te juntes con esa panda, no son buena influencia.

C1

Don't hang out with that crew; they aren't a good influence.

Word Connections

Synonyms

Antonyms

Common Collocations

  • una panda de amigos – a group of friends
  • una panda de vagos – a bunch of lazy people

Idioms & Expressions

  • ser de la misma panda – to be from the same group or have the same bad habits

Vocabulary Collections

Translate to Spanish

Words that translate to "panda" in Spanish:

crew→gang→giant panda→group→panda→

✏️ Quick Practice

Quick Quiz: panda

Question 1 of 3

If you are at the zoo, which 'panda' are you looking at?

📚 More Resources

👥 Word Family▼
pandilla(gang/small group) — Noun
pandillero(gang member) — Noun
empandillarse(to join a gang/group) — Verb
🎵 Rhymes▼
📚 Etymology▼

The animal sense comes from the Nepali word 'ponya' (meaning bamboo-eating animal). The group sense is likely a shortened form of 'pandilla', which comes from 'banda' (a band or group).

First recorded: Animal sense: 20th century (in Spanish); Group sense: 19th century.

Cognates (Related words)

English: pandaFrench: panda

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Frequently Asked Questions

Is 'panda' masculine or feminine?

It depends on the meaning! For the animal, it's usually masculine (el panda). For a group of people, it's feminine (la panda).

Can I use 'panda' to mean a 'gang' in Mexico?

While people will understand you, 'pandilla' or 'banda' are much more common in Mexico. 'Panda' for a group is more typical of Spain.

What is the plural of panda?

Simply add an 's' to make 'pandas'. This works for both the animals and the groups of people.