Dachs in Spanish | The Right Word In Every Context

In Spanish, the animal is “tejón”; the dog is “perro salchicha” or “dachshund”.

You’ll see “Dachs” online in a few different ways. Sometimes it’s the German word for the wild animal people call a badger. Sometimes it’s short for the dog breed known in English as the dachshund. Spanish has good options for both uses, yet the best choice depends on what you mean and where your reader lives.

This page sorts it out in plain language. You’ll get the main translations, when each one fits, how to pronounce them, and a few small details that keep you from sounding awkward.

Dachs in Spanish: Meanings and best translations

Start by choosing the meaning. If “Dachs” means the animal that digs burrows, Spanish most often uses tejón. If “Dachs” means the long-bodied dog breed, Spanish speakers often say perro salchicha, and many dog people use teckel or dachshund as breed names.

When “Dachs” means the wild animal

In German, Dachs usually points to the European badger. In Spanish, the standard term is tejón. The Diccionario de la lengua española entry for “tejón” describes the animal and shows common synonyms you may hear in parts of Spain.

One small twist: in some parts of Latin America, tejón can name a different animal, the coati. The Diccionario de americanismos entry for “tejón” marks that regional use.

When “Dachs” is shorthand for the dog

Lots of people shorten “dachshund” to “dachs” in casual writing. In Spanish, the everyday nickname is perro salchicha. In breed contexts you’ll see teckel (close to the German use) and dachshund kept as a loanword. The FCI’s breed page lists the dog under “TECKEL” in Spanish and groups it under Group 4.

If you’re writing about dogs in Spanish, it helps to follow standard spelling habits for breed names. Fundéu notes that dog-breed names are normally written in lowercase in Spanish unless they’re eponyms.

Tejón: The Spanish word for the animal

Tejón is the safest translation when “Dachs” means a badger-type animal. It’s widely understood, and it matches dictionary usage in Spain and many other places.

How to say “tejón” out loud

It’s two syllables: te-JÓN. The stress lands on the last syllable, and the accent mark tells you that. The j sound is the strong Spanish “j”, like a breathy “h” in many accents. If you need a quick memory trick, think “teh-HOHN.”

Plural and gender

Spanish uses el tejón for a male or for the species in general, and la tejona for a female. The plural is los tejones. The RAE entry shows both masculine and feminine forms.

Picking the right badger term in Spanish

English uses “badger” for a few different animals. Spanish can do the same with short modifiers. If you mean the European badger, tejón europeo is clear. If you mean the honey badger, Spanish commonly uses tejón melero or tejón de la miel. Dictionaries and bilingual references list both.

If you’re translating German Dachs from a text about Central or Northern Europe, you can usually go with tejón without extra words. If you’re writing for an audience outside Europe, adding a small descriptor can reduce mix-ups.

Another detail worth knowing: tejonero can mean “badger-like” in certain contexts, and it can appear in names of dog breeds or hunting terms. Use it when the source text truly points to “badger-hunting” instead of the animal itself.

Quick selection table for readers and translators

The choices below list the common cases you’ll run into in travel writing, wildlife posts, subtitles, dog forums, and translation work. Pick the row that matches your “Dachs.”

Meaning of “Dachs” in your text	Best Spanish term	Notes that keep it natural
German “Dachs” (European badger)	tejón	Default choice in general Spanish; matches major dictionaries.
Badger, generic (no species named)	tejón	Add a descriptor only if your reader may picture another animal.
Honey badger / ratel	tejón melero	Common Spanish term; “tejón de la miel” appears too.
American badger	tejón americano	Useful in US/Canada wildlife contexts; keeps “tejón” while naming the region.
Dachshund dog breed (formal breed context)	teckel	Seen in Spanish FCI naming; common in clubs and shows.
Dachshund dog breed (general writing)	dachshund	Loanword is widely recognized in pet media; keep it in lowercase as a breed name style.
Nickname for the dog (casual tone)	perro salchicha	Friendly everyday term; great in conversation and social posts.
Latin America “tejón” meaning coati (regional)	tejón (regional)	In some countries it can refer to a coati; add context if your setting is Ecuador or Bolivia.

Other Spanish words you may see for badger

Spanish has a few regional names for the same animal. In parts of Spain you may hear tasugo, tajugo, or melandro. The main dictionary lists them as synonyms of tejón, so you can treat them as local variants, not separate species names.

If you’re translating dialogue, keeping the local word can make a character sound authentic. If you’re writing a general article, tejón is still the safest pick, since it’s widely understood. When you do use a regional term, pair it once with tejón in the same sentence so no one gets lost.

Perro salchicha, teckel, and dachshund: Dog wording that reads right

If your “Dachs” is a dog, the safest friendly term is perro salchicha. It’s direct, it paints a picture, and most readers won’t need extra breed knowledge. If you’re writing a vet record, kennel note, rescue listing, or anything tied to breed standards, teckel and dachshund are common labels too. The FCI page is a handy reference when you want the official naming used by that federation.

When to choose “teckel”

Teckel is common in Spain and in Spanish-speaking dog circles that track show standards. It’s tidy, short, and it signals “breed talk” rather than a casual nickname. If your source is already technical, teckel will fit the tone.

When to keep “dachshund” in Spanish text

Many Spanish articles keep dachshund as is, especially online. That’s normal with breed names that circulate globally. If you do this, keep it in lowercase as part of normal Spanish style for breed names. Fundéu’s guidance on breed-name capitalization helps you stay consistent.

When “perro salchicha” is the best call

Perro salchicha works when your reader cares more about the dog than the registry label. It fits family stories, travel scenes, adoption posts, and captions. It can even work in translations when the source uses “dachs” as a playful nickname rather than a formal breed label.

Translation checkpoints that prevent awkward Spanish

Once you’ve picked the right noun, the next step is getting the sentence to feel like Spanish, not a word swap. These checkpoints keep you on track.

Check the article and agreement

Tejón is masculine in the generic sense: el tejón. The female form exists: la tejona. With dogs, perro salchicha uses masculine agreement as the default label, yet you can match it to a specific dog with mi perra salchicha if you want.

Check the level of formality

If the tone is scientific or educational, write tejón and add the species descriptor when needed. If the tone is playful or conversational, perro salchicha reads more like everyday Spanish. For show or registry contexts, teckel fits.

Check regional meaning before publishing

If your audience is pan-Spanish, one short phrase can prevent confusion: “tejón (el animal)” or “tejón europeo.” The Diccionario de americanismos reminds us that some words shift meaning across countries.

Check for false friends from German

German texts may use Dachs in compounds or nicknames. Translate the meaning, not the shape of the word. If the author is praising someone as stubborn “like a badger,” Spanish can take como un tejón without trying to imitate German wordplay.

Pronunciation and sample sentences table

Use this mini table as a paste-ready set of phrases for captions, subtitles, and translation drafts.

Spanish term	How it sounds	Sample sentence
tejón	te-JÓN	“Vimos un tejón cerca del sendero al anochecer.”
los tejones	los te-HO-nes	“Los tejones viven en madrigueras.”
tejón melero	te-JÓN me-LE-ro	“El tejón melero es famoso por buscar miel.”
tejón de la miel	te-JÓN de la MYEL	“El tejón de la miel también se llama ratel.”
perro salchicha	PE-rro sal-CHEE-cha	“Mi perro salchicha se metió debajo del sofá.”
teckel	TE-kel	“Adoptamos un teckel de pelo corto.”
dachshund	DAKS-jund (approx.)	“El dachshund es una raza originaria de Alemania.”

Small style tips that make your Spanish look native

These are the little touches that separate “correct” from “sounds like a local wrote it.”

Use accents and punctuation faithfully

Write tejón with the accent. Without it, readers may still guess the word, yet it looks sloppy and can change how people stress it out loud.

Keep breed names in lowercase

In Spanish running text, breed names like dachshund and teckel usually go in lowercase. That fits standard Spanish orthography guidance noted by Fundéu.

Be careful with “badger” as a verb

English uses “to badger” for repeated pestering. Spanish won’t use tejón for that. Common choices are verbs like acosar, hostigar, or molestar, depending on tone and context.

Choose one term and stick with it

If your article starts with perro salchicha, don’t swap between four labels every paragraph. Pick the term that matches your audience, then keep the other options as a short parenthetical note once.

A quick self-check before you hit publish

Read your sentence and ask two questions: “Is my meaning animal or dog?” and “Will my reader recognize this term in their country?” If the answer is clear, you’re done. If it’s fuzzy, add one short modifier like europeo or use perro salchicha instead of breed jargon.