Paseo en bici por Bogotá con narración sencilla

What does “la cebra” mean in Colombian Spanish?

Latin American Spanish, including Colombian, calls a pedestrian crosswalk la cebra (“the zebra”). The name comes from the painted black-and-white stripes that look like a zebra’s coat. Spain prefers the longer paso de cebra (“zebra crossing”) or paso de peatones. American English borrowed the same image less directly: zebra crossings exist mostly in Britain and the Commonwealth, while Americans say “crosswalk.” The Colombian short form la cebra makes for a quick, vivid word that learners pick up fast.

In this clip, a Bogotá bike rider narrates a city ride: “Ahora cruzamos la calle por la cebra” (“Now we cross the street at the zebra”).