pileta
/piˈleta/feminine
The English word basin can be translated into Spanish as pileta, lavabo, lavamanos, jofaina or palangana.
Meaning: wide bowl for washing (noun)
Ways to say it
| Spanish | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| pileta | /piˈleta/ | feminine |
| lavabo | /laˈbabo/ | masculine |
| lavamanos | /labaˈmanos/ | masculine |
| jofaina | /xoˈfaina/ | feminine |
| palangana | /palanˈɡana/ | feminine |
What does it mean word for word?
The word lavamanos is a compound noun that literally means 'hand washer'.
Which one should you use?
Use lavabo specifically for a bathroom sink, whereas pileta is more general for any basin or small pool. Lavamanos is used specifically for a sink used for washing hands.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In many parts of Latin America, pileta is the common term for a sink or a small basin, whereas in Spain it might refer more to a small pool or fountain.
How does it change in a sentence?
pileta and jofaina are feminine nouns, while lavabo and lavamanos are masculine nouns. palangana is a feminine noun.
How do you pronounce it?
/piˈleta/
Did you know?
- The word lavabo comes from the Latin word for 'I shall wash'. It is the first person singular future indicative form of the verb 'lavāre'.
- If you are in Argentina or Uruguay, you might use pileta to refer to a swimming pool rather than just a small basin.
- In historical contexts, a jofaina was often paired with a aguamanil, which was a jug used to pour water into the basin.
Examples in context
- ¿Qué hay en el lavabo?What is in the basin?This sentence is useful for asking about the contents of a lavabo.Tatoeba #10508367 by Seael, translation #6362472 by RudeGuyGames
- Ella vertió agua en la jofaina.She poured water into the basin.This sentence is useful for describing pouring water into a jofaina.Tatoeba #10508391 by Seael, translation #315480 by CK
- Asegúrate de lavarte las manos en el lavabo antes de comer.Make sure to wash your hands in the basin before you eat.
- Limpia los platos en el fregadero después de cenar.Clean the dishes in the kitchen sink after dinner.
- Pon la palangana en el suelo para que el gato pueda beber agua.Put the basin on the floor so the cat can drink water.
- Llena la pila con agua caliente para lavar los platos.Fill the basin with hot water to wash the dishes.
- La pileta está llena de agua fría.The basin is full of cold water.
- 2 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Sofía and Alejandro are cleaning the kitchen.
- SofíaAlejandro, pon los platos en la pileta.Alejandro, put the dishes in the basin.
- AlejandroEstá llena de agua, Sofía.It is full of water, Sofía.
- SofíaEntonces vacía la pileta primero.Then empty the basin first.
- AlejandroEstá bien, lo haré ahora.Alright, I will do it now.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “basin” translations and entries pileta, lavabo, lavamanos, jofaina, palangana, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries jofaina, lavabo, lavamanos, pileta, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
