ratón
“ratón” means “mouse” in Spanish. It has 3 different meanings depending on context:
mouse
Also: field mouse
📝 In Action
El gato atrapó un ratón en la despensa.
A1The cat caught a mouse in the pantry.
Los ratones son pequeños y rápidos.
A2Mice are small and fast.
mouse
Also: cursor control
📝 In Action
Haz clic con el ratón en el icono azul.
A1Click the blue icon with the mouse.
Necesito cambiar las pilas de mi ratón inalámbrico.
A2I need to change the batteries in my wireless mouse.
scaredy-cat
Also: coward
📝 In Action
¡No seas un ratón! Atrévete a probar la montaña rusa.
B1Don't be a scaredy-cat! Dare to try the roller coaster.
Ella es muy ratona y nunca habla en público.
B2She is very timid and never speaks in public. (Note: using 'ratona' for a female person)
Vocabulary Collections
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✏️ Quick Practice
Quick Quiz: ratón
Question 1 of 2
Which sentence uses 'ratón' to refer to a piece of technology?
📚 More Resources
👥 Word Family▼
🎵 Rhymes▼
📚 Etymology▼
The word 'ratón' comes from the Latin word *rattus* (rat or mouse). Although the modern Spanish word for 'rat' is 'rata,' 'ratón' specifically refers to the smaller rodent.
First recorded: Medieval Latin
Cognates (Related words)
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Frequently Asked Questions
Why is 'ratón' masculine ('el ratón') even if the animal is female?
In Spanish, the gender of the noun often refers to the word itself, not the biological sex. 'Ratón' is inherently a masculine noun. If you need to specify a female mouse, you would use 'la ratona,' but 'el ratón' is the standard term for the species.
How do I know if 'ratón' means the animal or the computer device?
Context is key! If you hear verbs like 'hacer clic' (to click) or words like 'inalámbrico' (wireless), it refers to the computer device. If you hear verbs like 'correr' (to run) or words like 'trampa' (trap), it refers to the animal.