pilas alcalinas
/pilas alkalinas/from spelling rules
The English phrase "alkaline batteries" is pilas alcalinas in Spanish.
This phrase refers to alkaline batteries. pilas is the term for small, removable batteries such as AA or AAA types.
Which one should you use?
pilas is typically used for small, removable batteries, whereas baterías often refers to larger rechargeable units or car batteries. While pilas alcalinas is the most common term for household batteries, baterías alcalinas is also used, particularly in more technical or formal contexts.
How does it change in a sentence?
The adjective alcalinas must agree in gender and number with the feminine noun pilas.
Did you know?
- The word pila originally referred to a stone basin or font used for baptism. This shifted to describe batteries because early electrical cells looked like stacked basins of chemicals.
- In colloquial Colombian Spanish, the phrase ponerse las pilas literally means to put in your batteries, but it is used to tell someone to wake up and start paying attention.
- The adjective alcalina comes from the Arabic word al-qali, which referred to plant ashes. This highlights the heavy influence of Arabic on the Spanish scientific vocabulary.
Examples in context
- ¿Tienes pilas alcalinas para el control remoto?Do you have alkaline batteries for the remote control?
- Necesitaré una caja de baterías alcalinas para el proyecto.I will need a box of alkaline batteries for the project.
- Necesito comprar pilas alcalinas para el control remoto.I need to buy alkaline batteries for the remote control.
- Estas pilas alcalinas duran mucho tiempo.These alkaline batteries last a long time.
- ¿Tienes pilas alcalinas en la cocina?Do you have alkaline batteries in the kitchen?
Example conversation
Elena and Daniel are checking the flashlight in a dark room.
- ElenaLa linterna no funciona.The flashlight isn't working.
- DanielCreo que necesita pilas alcalinas nuevas.I think it needs new alkaline batteries.
- ElenaDaniel, ¿puedes buscar unas en el cajón?Daniel, can you look for some in the drawer?
- DanielSí, las buscaré ahora mismo.Yes, I will look for them right now.
Sources
- IPA marked “from spelling rules” is derived from standard Spanish spelling, where Wiktionary gives none.
