sótano
/ˈsotano/masculine
The English word 'basement' is sótano in Spanish. Wiktionary also lists béisment.
Meaning: floor below ground level (noun)
Ways to say it
| Spanish | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| sótano | /ˈsotano/ | masculine |
| béisment | /beisment/ (from spelling rules) | masculine |
The term refers to a floor below ground level.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
béisment is a highly colloquial adaptation of the English word. In some Latin American regions, you may also hear the informal expression Cuarto de abajo to mean 'room down below'.
Is it said differently in some regions?
béisment is a Spanglish or highly colloquial term used in some regions, and Cuarto de abajo is an informal expression used in some Latin American regions.
How does it change in a sentence?
sótano is a masculine noun, so it uses the masculine article el (the basement). The plural form is los sótanos (the basements).
How do you pronounce it?
/ˈsotano/
Did you know?
- The word sótano has a strange linguistic cousin in Portuguese: sótão, which actually means 'attic' instead of 'basement'.
- In some regions, referring to a sótano in a social context can imply a hidden or secret place, rather than just a structural floor.
Examples in context
- Está en el sótano.It's in the basement.This sentence is useful for describing the location of an object using sótano.Tatoeba #9969811 by Shishir, translation #2647132 by CK
- Tom está en el sótano.Tom is in the basement.This sentence is useful for describing the location of a person using sótano.Tatoeba #2972921 by hayastan, translation #2546416 by CK
- En el sótano hace frío.It's cold in the basement.This sentence is useful for describing the temperature in the sótano.Tatoeba #11096975 by Curro, translation #9466017 by CM
- El sótano está oscuroThe basement is dark
- Los trastos están en el cuarto de abajoThe stuff is in the basement
- La lavadora está en el sótano, al lado de las escalerasThe washing machine is in the basement, next to the stairs
- Voy a buscar algo que dejé en el cuarto de abajoI'm going to look for something I left in the basement
- 30 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
María and Mateo are looking for some old tools in their house.
- MaríaMateo, ¿sabes dónde están las herramientas?Mateo, do you know where the tools are?
- MateoCreo que están en el sótano.I think they are in the basement.
- MaríaVamos al sótano entonces.Let's go to the basement then.
- MateoTen cuidado, que está muy oscuro.Be careful, it is very dark.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “basement” translations and entries sótano, béisment, 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 sótano, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
