What is the difference between ave y pájaro?

Question

I'm living in Chile right now and I've never heard anyone use pájaro, only ave. Is there a big difference between the two or can I use them interchangeably?

Answer 1

Hi Cachai.

From everything I heard and seen the terms are interchangeable. I All three of my dictionaries also indicate that they both mean "bird."

• You are correct Marianne. This reminds me the words: "culebra" and "serpiente" - RicardoP Sep 17, 2009
• Thank you, Ricardo, for giving me a new word for my vocabulary list: I didn't know "culebra." - --Mariana-- Sep 17, 2009
• Ah ha! I knew it, thanks so much! :) - Cachai Sep 17, 2009

Answer 2

Ave is a bird and párajo is a bird but párajo can be párajo bobo (penguin), párajo carpintero (woodpecker), etc. I am sure the gurus will weigh in on this but I didn't see any other uses for "ave" like I did for párajo. Hope this helps.

• You are misspelling Jason. The correct word is; "pájaro" - RicardoP Sep 17, 2009
• Thanks! I spelt it wrong too. :S - Cachai Sep 17, 2009
• Jason, there are lots of examples in my dictionary for "ave." For example, ave cantora, ave del paraíso, etc. - --Mariana-- Sep 17, 2009
• Oops, a little dyslexia coming out. ;) Thanks for the heads up on ave! - Jason7R Sep 18, 2009

Answer 3

A Pajaro is a particular kind of ave. Look it up, silly! They have a dictionary!

• I did silly! The difference wasn't that clear to me, that's why I'm asking. I've also never heard anyone use pájaro here - Cachai Sep 17, 2009

Answer 4

Ian said:

Ave (large) ... pájaro (small)...

In another thread on the same subject Heidi said that she understood "ave" to be a large bird and "pájaro" to be a small bird.

Answer 5

I live in Mexico and I have found that some words are used more here than in other countries. Many words are regional. For example: In the US the back of the car where you store stuff is called the trunk but it is called the boot in Australia.

Possibly it is the same for ave and pájaro in Chile.

• Yeah, "common" languages still vary a lot. I saw an episode of Plaza Sesamo where they showed the Spanish word for "kite" in 6 countries. 6 different countries, 6 different words for kite! - Jason_Bryant Sep 17, 2009
• What is Plaza Sesamo? - Cachai Sep 17, 2009
• Plaza Sesamo is the Mexican franchise for Sesame Street. I watch it because even though it is a children's show, it's designed to teach words to people with limited vocabularies. Perfecto! - Jason_Bryant Sep 17, 2009

Answer 6

There are a lot of confusing things above my reply. Our dictionary says the following 1. Ave (large), término general para todo animal de pluma que vuela; pájaro (small).