bricolaje
/bɾikoˈlaxe/
The English phrase "diy" translates to Spanish as bricolaje.
bricolaje refers to the hobby or activity of DIY, such as home repairs or small-scale construction projects.
Meaning: do it yourself (noun)
Which one should you use?
While bricolaje refers to the activity itself, the verbal phrase hacer bricolaje is used to express the action of "doing DIY".
How do you pronounce it?
/bɾikoˈlaxe/
Did you know?
- The term bricolaje has moved beyond home repair to become a formal term in Spanish art theory and anthropology to describe creating art from found objects.
- Spanish makes a sharp distinction between bricolaje for home improvement and manualidades for arts and crafts, whereas English often uses 'DIY' for both.
- The word bricolaje is a loanword from the French bricolage, which originally referred to the act of tinkering with or making do with whatever materials are at hand.
Examples in context
- Si quieres ahorrar dinero, deberías intentar hacerlo tú mismo.If you want to save money, you should try doing it yourself.
- Para una reparación sencilla, le recomendamos que lo haga usted mismo.For a simple repair, we recommend you do it yourself.
- Me gusta mucho el bricolaje.I really like DIY.
- Compré herramientas para mi proyecto de bricolaje.I bought tools for my DIY project.
- El bricolaje es un pasatiempo creativo.DIY is a creative hobby.
Example conversation
Elena and Javier are looking at a home improvement magazine.
- Elena¿Te interesa el bricolaje, Javier?Are you interested in DIY, Javier?
- JavierSí, me encanta hacer arreglos en casa.Yes, I love doing repairs around the house.
- ElenaYo también prefiero el bricolaje al trabajo profesional.I also prefer DIY over professional work.
- JavierEs más divertido y económico.It is more fun and economical.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry bricolaje, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries bricolaje, CC BY-SA 4.0.
