Ways to say it
| Spanish | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| barco | /ˈbaɾko/ | masculine |
| barca | /ˈbaɾka/ | feminine |
| bote | /ˈbote/ | masculine |
The term is used to describe various types of watercraft, including ships, motorboats and small vessels.
Which one should you use?
The choice of word often depends on the size and nature of the vessel. barco is used for larger vessels like ships or large motorboats. bote typically refers to smaller, often rowing or motor-driven boats like dinghies or skiffs. barca also refers to small boats or skiffs, but it is often used in a more poetic or traditional sense for simple wooden boats.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In Mexico and Central America, lancha is a popular term for a motorboat or speedboat. In countries such as Ecuador and Venezuela, canoa is used to refer to a canoe or a small wooden boat.
Related words
How does it change in a sentence?
The words have different genders: barco and bote are masculine and use the article el, while barca is feminine and uses the article la. The related verb barquear means to travel by boat.
How do you pronounce it?
/ˈbaɾko/
Did you know?
- The term barca can be traced back through Ancient Greek and Coptic to the ancient Egyptian word bꜣjr.
Examples in context
- Ese es un bote.That is a boat.This sentence is useful for identifying a specific bote.Tatoeba #1178634 by marcelostockle, translation #1097995 by cntrational
- Estoy en un bote.I'm on a boat.This sentence is useful for stating your location on a bote.Tatoeba #1476828 by marcelostockle, translation #1346200 by Spamster
- Tom tiene un bote.Tom has a boat.This sentence is useful for describing possession of a bote.Tatoeba #5521907 by baudelaire, translation #3592917 by CK
- El barco está en el puertoThe boat is in the port
- La embarcación de pesca es propiedad de mi abueloThe fishing boat is my grandfather's property
- Vamos a pescar en el bote este fin de semanaLet's go fishing on the boat this weekend
- Alquilamos una barca para pasear por el lagoWe rented a boat to ride around the lake
- Vamos a dar un paseo en lancha por el ríoLet's take a ride in the speedboat along the river
- Vamos a remar en la canoa en este hermoso ríoLet's paddle in the canoe in this beautiful river
- 118 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Elena and Alejandro are standing on a pier looking at the ocean.
- ElenaMira ese barco grande.Look at that big boat.
- AlejandroSí, es un barco muy bonito.Yes, it is a very beautiful boat.
- Elena¿Quieres subir al barco?Do you want to get on the boat?
- AlejandroNo, prefiero quedarme aquí.No, I prefer to stay here.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “boat” translations and entries barco, barca, bote, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries barca, barco, bote, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
