Ways to say it
| Spanish | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| rejilla de ventilación | /rexiʝa de bentilaθjon/ (Spain, from spelling rules) /rexiʝa de bentilasjon/ (Latin America, from spelling rules) |
feminine |
| rejilla | /reˈxiʝa/ | feminine |
| rejilla ventiladora | /rexiʝa bentiladoɾa/ (from spelling rules) | feminine |
| ventano | /bentano/ (from spelling rules) | masculine |
| respiradero | /respiɾaˈdeɾo/ | masculine |
| bufarda | /buˈfaɾda/ | feminine |
| resolladero | /resoʝadeɾo/ (from spelling rules) | masculine |
The term rejilla de ventilación is the most common way to refer to an air vent within the context of domestic or office HVAC systems. Other terms like salida de ventilación also serve as variations to express the same idea.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase rejilla de ventilación literally means 'grille of ventilation', where rejilla means 'grille' or 'grating' and de ventilación means 'of ventilation'.
Which one should you use?
While rejilla de ventilación specifically refers to the physical metal or plastic grille that covers an opening, respiradero refers more generally to the opening or vent itself. Furthermore, respiradero is often used for smaller vents or breather holes that allow air or gas to escape, such as in a machine or a building's structure, rather than a decorative HVAC grille. Other forms include rejilla, rejilla ventiladora, ventano, bufarda and resolladero.
How does it change in a sentence?
To make the phrase rejilla de ventilación plural, you pluralize the head noun rejilla to get rejillas de ventilación.
How do you pronounce it?
/rexiʝa de bentilaθjon/
Did you know?
- The word resolladero is an archaic or regional term for a vent. It is derived from resollar, which describes the heavy breathing of an animal after exertion.
- While rejilla de ventilación is used for HVAC systems, the word respiradero comes from respirar, meaning 'to breathe'. It frames the vent as a place where a building or machine can 'breathe'.
- The word rejilla is actually a diminutive form of reja, which means 'grating' or 'grill'. By adding the suffix -illa, the word is transformed from a heavy structural object into a smaller, lighter component.
Examples in context
- Por favor, revisa el conducto de aire. Hace mucho ruido cuando está encendido.Please check the air vent. It makes a lot of noise when it's turned on.
- Asegúrate de que la salida de aire esté funcionando correctamente.Make sure the air vent is functioning properly.
- Limpia la rejilla de ventilación para mejorar la circulación del aire en el cuarto.Clean the air vent to improve air circulation in the room.
- ¡No te sientes justo debajo de la boca de aire, podría darte un resfriado!Don't sit right under the air vent, it might give you a cold!
- La rejilla de ventilación está sucia.The air vent is dirty.
- Hay polvo sobre la rejilla de ventilación.There is dust on the air vent.
- Limpia la rejilla de ventilación del salón.Clean the air vent in the living room.
Example conversation
Lucía and Daniel are cleaning their new apartment.
- LucíaDaniel, mira esta rejilla de ventilación.Daniel, look at this air vent.
- DanielEstá muy sucia, yo la limpio.It is very dirty, I will clean it.
- LucíaUsa el trapo húmedo para eso.Use the damp cloth for that.
- DanielEstá bien, ya quedó limpia la rejilla de ventilación.Alright, the air vent is now clean.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “air vent” translations and entries rejilla, respiradero, bufarda, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- IPA marked “from spelling rules” is derived from standard Spanish spelling, where Wiktionary gives none.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries de, rejilla, ventilación, CC BY-SA 4.0.
