How to Say "oxtail" in Spanish
The Spanish word for “oxtail” is “rabo” — A2 level. This is a very common word in everyday Spanish.
Examples
El perro movía el rabo con mucha alegría.
The dog was wagging its tail with great joy.
Hoy vamos a cocinar rabo de toro estofado.
Today we are going to cook stewed oxtail.
El cerdo tiene un rabo pequeño y rizado.
The pig has a small, curly tail.
Rabo vs. Cola
While both mean 'tail,' 'rabo' is often used for shorter, thicker tails (like a pig's or bull's) or specifically in cooking. 'Cola' is more common for birds, long-haired animals, or objects like planes and lines of people.
Always Masculine
Even if you are talking about a female dog or a cow, the word for tail is always 'el rabo'. The gender of the object doesn't change based on the animal.
Using 'rabo' for objects
Mistake: “El rabo del avión.”
Correction: La cola del avión. (Spanish uses 'cola' for the tail of a plane, a comet, or a line of people.)
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