This site uses cookies. Some of these cookies are essential to the operation of the site, while others help to improve your experience by providing insights into how the site is being used. For more information, please see the ProZ.com privacy policy.
Cookie settings
  1. KudoZ™ Top
  2. English to Spanish
  3. Zoology

gnats

Spanish translation: jején

GLOSSARY ENTRY (DERIVED FROM QUESTION BELOW)
English term or phrase:gnat
Spanish translation:jején
Entered by: Gabriel Csaba

00:23 May 11, 2008
English to Spanish translations [PRO]
Art/Literary - Zoology
English term or phrase: gnats
Gnats swirl around an incandescent bulb.
A gnat flies into XXX’s ear.

Most dictionaries say "mosquitos", but I'm sure the author would have said mosquitoes if that were the case. Besides, mosquitoes don't swirl around lights; they rather crouch in quiet corners and wait for your yummy, yummy ankles to appear.

Should I use "mosquitas", "polillas", or just "insectos"? Any other ideas?
Gabriel Csaba
Argentina
Local time: 11:08
jején
Explanation:
RAE
Jején:Insecto díptero más pequeño que el mosquito y de picadura más irritante, abunda en las playas del mar de las Antillas y en otras regiones de América

The Oxford bilingual gnat: jején

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 6 hrs (2008-05-11 07:13:38 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

San Blas, Mexico - Rentals, Photos, and Information
Although aided in no small part by the mosquito, it is the jején that has ... Like the mosquito, the jején spits a protein into its prey as it bites. ...
www.visitsanblas.com/bugs.html - 16k - Cached - Similar pages
jején - Wiktionary
1 Spanish. 1.1 Etymology; 1.2 Noun; 1.3 See also. [edit] Spanish. [edit] Etymology. Arawak xixén. [edit] Noun. jején m. (plural jejenes). Singular jején m. ...
en.wiktionary.org/wiki/jején - 15k - Cached - Similar pages
¡Ay! ¡Me picó un jején!
- [ Translate this page ]
El jején también se conoce como mosca negra, aunque puede ser negro o gris. Se trata de un insecto muy pequeño, no más grande que la cabeza de un alfiler.
kidshealth.org/kid/en_espanol/sano/gnat_esp.html - 18k - Cached -
Selected response from:

Graciela Vicente
Local time: 23:38
Grading comment
Thanks Gracie!
The funny thing is, I've known jejenes all my life -not a pleasant acquaintance, that one- but I didn't even consider the word because I thought it was strictly local slang! Specifically Córdoba slang.
One can never guess the extent of one's own ignorance...
4 KudoZ points were awarded for this answer



Summary of answers provided
5 +3jején
Graciela Vicente
4insectos
Lucía Leszinsky
4insectos voladores
Fanny77
3zancudos
Gloria Cifuentes Dowling


Discussion entries: 5





  

Answers


29 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5
insectos


Explanation:
Webster's Ninth New Collegiate Dictionary:
Gnat: any of various small usually biting two-winged flies.

I do not think mosquitoes swirl around lights either. They do bite, and have two wings, but so do many other insects. I think you should go for 'insects' to avoid particularizing.

Hope this helps!

Good luck ;)



Lucía Leszinsky
Argentina
Local time: 11:08
Native speaker of: Native in SpanishSpanish, Native in EnglishEnglish
Login to enter a peer comment (or grade)

53 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5
zancudos


Explanation:
Zancudos o mosquitos me parece apropiado.

No usaría el término polillas. Me parecen insectos de tamaño más grande que los mosquitos.

http://www.environmental.bayercropscience.cl/soluciones/fich...



Gloria Cifuentes Dowling
Chile
Local time: 10:08
Works in field
Native speaker of: Native in SpanishSpanish
PRO pts in category: 4
Login to enter a peer comment (or grade)

2 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5
insectos voladores


Explanation:
Una opcion.

Fanny77
United States
Local time: 10:08
Native speaker of: Native in SpanishSpanish
Login to enter a peer comment (or grade)

5 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 5/5 peer agreement (net): +3
jején


Explanation:
RAE
Jején:Insecto díptero más pequeño que el mosquito y de picadura más irritante, abunda en las playas del mar de las Antillas y en otras regiones de América

The Oxford bilingual gnat: jején

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 6 hrs (2008-05-11 07:13:38 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

San Blas, Mexico - Rentals, Photos, and Information
Although aided in no small part by the mosquito, it is the jején that has ... Like the mosquito, the jején spits a protein into its prey as it bites. ...
www.visitsanblas.com/bugs.html - 16k - Cached - Similar pages
jején - Wiktionary
1 Spanish. 1.1 Etymology; 1.2 Noun; 1.3 See also. [edit] Spanish. [edit] Etymology. Arawak xixén. [edit] Noun. jején m. (plural jejenes). Singular jején m. ...
en.wiktionary.org/wiki/jején - 15k - Cached - Similar pages
¡Ay! ¡Me picó un jején!
- [ Translate this page ]
El jején también se conoce como mosca negra, aunque puede ser negro o gris. Se trata de un insecto muy pequeño, no más grande que la cabeza de un alfiler.
kidshealth.org/kid/en_espanol/sano/gnat_esp.html - 18k - Cached -

Graciela Vicente
Local time: 23:38
Works in field
Native speaker of: Native in SpanishSpanish
PRO pts in category: 4
Grading comment
Thanks Gracie!
The funny thing is, I've known jejenes all my life -not a pleasant acquaintance, that one- but I didn't even consider the word because I thought it was strictly local slang! Specifically Córdoba slang.
One can never guess the extent of one's own ignorance...

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Bubo Coroman (X): eso es, en R.U. son muy corrientes en el campo en verano ... los "gnats" se conocen también en inglés como "midges" http://www.google.es/search?hl=es&q=jejenes midges&meta=
1 hr
  -> Muchas gracias Deborah!
agree  Vladimir Martinez: midges or Jejenes,right!...Very common in tropical areas!
4 hrs
  -> Muchas gracias Vladimir!
agree  Egmont
4 hrs
  -> GRacias otra vez AVRVM!
disagree  Maria Etchegoyen Sanchez: En houston, texas los "gnats" no son los jejenes que tipicamente hay en argentina. Se parecen mas a un mosquito pero mas negro y mas pequeno.
12 hrs
agree  Irina Dicovsky - MD (X)
2935 days
Login to enter a peer comment (or grade)



Login or register (free and only takes a few minutes) to participate in this question.

You will also have access to many other tools and opportunities designed for those who have language-related jobs (or are passionate about them). Participation is free and the site has a strict confidentiality policy.

Return to KudoZ list

KudoZ™ translation help

The KudoZ network provides a framework for translators and others to assist each other with translations or explanations of terms and short phrases.

See also:
ProZ.com term search
Search millions of term translations
Close search
Term search
  • All of ProZ.com
  • Term search
  • Jobs
  • Forums
  • Multiple search