bote (de basura)
/ˈbote de baˈsuɾa/word by wordmasculine
The English phrase bin is translated into Spanish as bote (de basura). Wiktionary also lists caneca.
Meaning: container for rubbish (noun)
Ways to say it
| Spanish | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| bote (de basura) | /ˈbote de baˈsuɾa/ (word by word) | masculine |
| caneca | /kaˈneka/ | Colombia, feminine |
The term refers to a container used for rubbish. You may encounter more formal terms such as contenedor de basura for a garbage bin or contenedor de reciclaje for a recycling bin.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In Colombia, the feminine noun caneca is used to refer to a rubbish bin. In parts of Argentina and Uruguay, the term tacho de basura is commonly used.
How does it change in a sentence?
Because bote is a masculine noun, you must use the masculine article el (el bote de basura) rather than the feminine la.
How do you pronounce it?
/ˈbote de baˈsuɾa/
Did you know?
- In Mexico, bote can be a slang term for 'jail'. Saying someone is in el bote means they are behind bars rather than standing next to a bin.
- The Spanish word for a rubbish bin, bote, shares its origin with the English word 'boat'.
- The word caneca, used in Colombia for a bin, is a cognate of the Portuguese word for a mug or a cup.
Examples in context
- Por favor, coloque los documentos en la papelera designada.Please place the documents in the designated bin.
- Recuerde separar los residuos en los contenedores de basura y reciclaje.Remember to separate the waste in the garbage and recycling bins.
- Echa el papel en el cubo de basura, por favor.Throw the paper in the bin, please.
- Puedes dejar el envase en el basurero.You can leave the container in the bin.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “bin” translations and entries caneca, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- IPA marked “word by word” joins the Wiktionary pronunciations of each word (bote, de, basura) and can differ in connected speech.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries bote, caneca, CC BY-SA 4.0.
