Inklingo

How to Say "ox" in Spanish

English → Spanish

buey

/bway//bwej/

nounA2general
Use 'buey' specifically for a castrated male bovine that is used for labor or as draft animal. This is the most common and direct translation for 'ox'.
A strong, brown ox with large horns standing in a green field.

Examples

El buey es un animal muy fuerte y trabajador.

The ox is a very strong and hardworking animal.

Antiguamente, los campesinos usaban bueyes para arar la tierra.

In the past, farmers used oxen to plow the land.

El carro de bueyes avanzaba lentamente por el camino de tierra.

The ox-cart moved slowly along the dirt road.

Making it Plural

Since this word ends in a 'y' that sounds like a vowel, you add '-es' to make it plural: 'un buey' becomes 'dos bueyes'.

Buey vs. Toro

While both are male cattle, a 'toro' (bull) is kept for breeding, and a 'buey' (ox) is trained for farm work like pulling heavy loads.

Wrong Plural

Mistake:los bueys

Correction: los bueyes (words ending in 'y' usually add 'es' in Spanish).

toro

/TOH-roh//ˈtoɾo/

nounA1general
While 'toro' primarily means 'bull' (an intact male bovine), it can occasionally be used for a castrated male bovine, but this usage is less common and might cause confusion. It's generally safer to use 'buey' for an ox.
A powerful, muscular brown bull with large horns standing firmly in a bright green field under a blue sky.

Examples

El granjero tiene un toro muy fuerte en su campo.

The farmer has a very strong bull in his field.

Vimos un toro pastando cerca del río.

We saw a bull grazing near the river.

El toro es el macho de la vaca.

The bull is the male of the cow.

Gender Rule

Since 'toro' refers to a male animal, it is a masculine noun. Remember to use the masculine article 'el' (el toro).

Confusing Gender

Mistake:Using 'la tora' (which refers to the female animal).

Correction: The female version is 'la vaca' (the cow). The word 'toro' is always masculine.

Buey vs. Toro

The most common mistake is using 'toro' when you mean 'ox'. Remember that 'toro' almost always refers to a bull. Only use 'toro' for an ox if the context is extremely clear that it's a castrated working animal and not a breeding bull, otherwise, stick with 'buey'.

Learn Spanish with Inklingo

Interactive stories, personalized learning, and more.