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vaqueros

vah-KEH-rohs/baˈkeɾos/

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

jeans

Also: denim pants
NounmA1
Spain
A neatly folded pair of classic blue denim jeans, showing the stitching and texture of the material.

📝 In Action

Necesito lavar mis vaqueros; están muy sucios.

A1

I need to wash my jeans; they are very dirty.

¿Dónde compraste esos vaqueros tan bonitos?

A2

Where did you buy those beautiful jeans?

Word Connections

Synonyms

  • pantalones de mezclilla (denim pants (more formal/technical))
  • tejanos (jeans (common in Spain))

Common Collocations

  • vaqueros ajustados – tight jeans
  • vaqueros rotos – ripped jeans

cowboys

Also: cattle drivers
NounmB1
A silhouette of a person wearing a wide-brimmed cowboy hat and riding a horse against a sunset background.

📝 In Action

Los vaqueros del rancho se levantaron antes del amanecer.

B1

The cowboys on the ranch woke up before dawn.

Mi abuelo era uno de los últimos vaqueros de la región.

B2

My grandfather was one of the last cowboys in the region.

Word Connections

Synonyms

  • llaneros (plainsmen (Venezuela/Colombia))
  • gauchos (cowboys (Argentina/Uruguay))

Common Collocations

  • sombrero de vaquero – cowboy hat
  • película de vaqueros – Western movie

Translate to Spanish

Words that translate to "vaqueros" in Spanish:

cattle drivers→cowboys→denim pants→jeans→

✏️ Quick Practice

Quick Quiz: vaqueros

Question 1 of 2

Which sentence uses 'vaqueros' to refer to clothing?

📚 More Resources

👥 Word Family▼
vaca(cow) — Noun
vaquero(cowboy (singular)) — Noun
vaquería(dairy farm/cattle ranch) — Noun
🎵 Rhymes▼
cuerossenderos
📚 Etymology▼

The word is rooted in the Spanish word for 'cow,' *vaca*. The suffix *-ero* means 'a person who deals with' or 'a thing related to.' So, a *vaquero* was originally a person who handled cattle (a cowboy). The clothing item *vaqueros* (jeans) got its name because it was the durable, rugged clothing worn by these cattle handlers.

First recorded: Medieval period (as *vaquero* for the person)

Cognates (Related words)

Portuguese: vaqueiroEnglish (loanword): buckaroo

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Frequently Asked Questions

Is 'vaqueros' the only word for 'jeans'?

No. While it is the most common word in Spain, in many Spanish-speaking countries, you will frequently hear 'jeans' (pronounced like the English word) or 'pantalones de mezclilla'.

Is 'vaqueros' related to the English word 'cowboy'?

Yes! The English term 'buckaroo' is thought to be a phonetic adaptation of the Spanish word 'vaquero.' The concept of the ranch hand originated in Spanish culture.