Have you ever paused mid-sentence, unsure how to say capybara? You are not alone. The name of the world’s largest rodent comes from an Indigenous South American language, passed through Portuguese and Spanish before reaching English, so it is no surprise people stumble over it. This guide gives you the standard pronunciations, a simple phonetic breakdown, the word’s origin and how to say “capybara” in other languages.
How Do You Pronounce Capybara? The Quick Answer
In English, capybara has four syllables with the main stress on the third one: cap-ee-BAR-uh. Dictionaries list two accepted versions of that stressed syllable:
- British English: /ˌkæpɪˈbɑːrə/ (cap-ih-BAH-ruh), with “bar” rhyming with “car”.
- American English: /ˌkæpəˈbɛrə/ (cap-uh-BAIR-uh), with “bar” sounding like “bear”, or /ˌkæpəˈbɑːrə/ (cap-uh-BAR-uh). Both are common in the US and both are correct.
So whether you say “cap-ee-BAR-uh” or “cap-ee-BEAR-uh”, you are fine. What matters most is putting the stress on the third syllable and keeping the first syllable short, like the word “cap”.
Syllable-by-Syllable Breakdown
| Syllable | Sounds like | Stress |
|---|---|---|
| ca | “cap” (short a, as in cat) | secondary |
| py | “ee” or a soft “uh” | unstressed |
| ba | “bar” (UK) or “bear”/”bar” (US) | primary |
| ra | “ruh” | unstressed |
Try saying it slowly a few times, then speed up: cap… ee… BAR… uh, then capy-BAR-uh. Practice sentences like “I saw a capybara at the zoo” or “Capybaras are amazing swimmers” help it stick.
Common Mispronunciations
- “CAP-ee-bear-uh” with the stress on the first syllable. The emphasis belongs on the third syllable.
- “cap-EYE-bara”. The “y” is a vowel sound like “ee” or “ih”, not “eye”.
- “capy-BARRA” with a rolled r. That is close to the Spanish pronunciation and perfectly understandable, but it is not the usual English one.
- “capa-bara”. It is spelled with a y: capy-bara. The Spanish and Italian spelling is capibara with an i.
Where Does the Word “Capybara” Come From?
“Capybara” comes from the Tupi language of Brazil, an Indigenous language once widely spoken along the Atlantic coast. The Tupi name is usually given as kapi’yva (also written ka’apiûara), most often translated as “grass eater” or “master of the grasses”, from ka’a (grass, leaf) and a root meaning “to eat”. The name fits perfectly: capybaras are grazers that can eat several kilograms of grass a day (see our guide to capybara eating habits).
Portuguese colonists adapted the word as capivara, Spanish speakers as capibara, and English borrowed it in the early 1600s, eventually settling on the spelling capybara. The scientific name is unrelated: Hydrochoerus hydrochaeris comes from Greek and means roughly “water pig”, pronounced hy-dro-KEER-us hy-DROK-er-is.
How to Say Capybara in Other Languages
| Language / country | Word | Rough pronunciation |
|---|---|---|
| Spanish (general) | capibara | kah-pee-BAH-rah |
| Spanish (Argentina, Uruguay, Paraguay) | carpincho | kar-PEEN-cho |
| Spanish (Venezuela) | chigüire | chee-GWEE-reh |
| Spanish (Colombia) | chigüiro | chee-GWEE-roh |
| Spanish (Peru) | ronsoco | ron-SOH-koh |
| Portuguese (Brazil) | capivara | kah-pee-VAH-rah |
| Guaraní | kapiyva | kah-pee-UH-vah |
| Japanese | カピバラ (kapibara) | kah-pee-bah-rah |
| French | capybara / cabiai | ka-pee-ba-RA / ka-BYAY |
| German | Capybara / Wasserschwein | ka-pü-BAH-ra / VAS-er-shvine |
| Italian | capibara | kah-pee-BAH-rah |
You will also see the Spanish word in internet culture: “capibara animada” (animated capybara) is a huge search trend for cartoon capybara art. See our capibara animada cute collection and the story behind the memes in capybara culture.
Video: Hear It Pronounced
Watch this short video to hear “capybara” said out loud.
Is It “Capybaras” or “Capybara” for the Plural?
Both are used. “Capybaras” is the most common plural in everyday English, while “capybara” as a plural (like “deer”) appears in some scientific and older writing. A group of capybaras is often called a herd.
Fun Facts to Go With Your New Word
- Capybaras are the largest rodents in the world, weighing up to about 65 kg (140 lb). Yes, they really are rodents.
- They are semi-aquatic, with slightly webbed feet, and can stay underwater for up to about five minutes to hide from predators.
- They live in social groups, usually 10–20 animals, along rivers, lakes and marshes across South America.
- Want more? Read our full list of capybara facts.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is it pronounced capy-BAR-a or capy-BEAR-a?
Both are correct. “BAR” is standard in British English; American speakers use both “BAR” and “BEAR”.
Which syllable is stressed in capybara?
The third syllable: cap-ee-BAR-uh.
What does capybara mean?
It comes from the Tupi word usually translated as “grass eater” or “master of the grasses”.
What is a capybara called in Argentina?
Carpincho. In Venezuela it is chigüire, and in Brazil capivara.
Keep Exploring
Now that you can say it like a pro, learn how to draw a capybara, print a free capybara coloring page or browse our free printables for kids, and grab a cute capybara wallpaper for your phone.