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ranch and Spanish rancho
In English
ranch
a large cattle farm
In Spanish
rancho
humilde
Spanish "rancho" means: shack / hut
Why they get mixed up Spanish "rancho" can be a simple meal or a small rural settlement. English "ranch" is a large-scale cattle farm. The word passed from Spanish into English over time, but changed scale.
If you want to say...
- ranchrancho o hacienda
- shackchoza
- farmgranja
Examples
They own a cattle ranch in Texas.
Tienen una hacienda ganadera en Texas.
Life on the ranch is hard work.
La vida en la hacienda es trabajo duro.
They spent summers at their uncle's ranch in Montana.
Pasaban los veranos en el rancho de su tío en Montana.
The ranch has horses, cows and chickens.
El rancho tiene caballos, vacas y gallinas.
Common mistakes in Spanish
Incorrect: Tienen un rancho enorme con mil vacas.
Correct: Tienen una hacienda enorme con mil vacas.
In many countries, rancho means a small farm or even a shack. For a big cattle property, use hacienda or finca ganadera.
Incorrect: El ranch de mi tío tiene 500 vacas.
Correct: El rancho de mi tío tiene 500 vacas.
Ranch is not a Spanish word. Use rancho, hacienda or finca.
Phrases you will hear
- a cattle ranchun rancho ganadero
- a horse ranchun rancho de caballos
- ranch dressingaderezo ranch
- a rancherun ranchero
- a shackuna choza
- a small farmuna granja pequeña
In a conversation
- A:
They spent summers at their uncle's ranch.
Pasaban los veranos en el rancho de su tío.
- B:
Does it have horses?
¿Tiene caballos?
- A:
Yes, and cattle. It's a large ranch.
Sí, y ganado. Es un rancho grande.
- B:
In my country, a small farm is also called a ranch.
En mi país, una granja pequeña también se llama rancho.
Test yourself
"A cattle ranch" is...
To remember it
Ranch = a large cattle farm. A humble rural shack (Spanish "rancho") = shack/hut.
Frequently asked questions
What does Spanish "rancho" mean?
Spanish "rancho" means "shack / hut". It looks like the English "ranch", which is exactly why it gets confused, but "ranch" means "a large cattle farm".
Does English "ranch" mean the same as Spanish "rancho"?
Spanish "rancho" can be a simple meal or a small rural settlement. English "ranch" is a large-scale cattle farm. The word passed from Spanish into English over time, but changed scale.