Ways to say it
| Spanish | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| desagüe | /deˈsaɡwe/ | masculine |
| drenaje | /dɾeˈnaxe/ | masculine |
| desaguadero | /desaɡwaˈdeɾo/ | masculine |
| dren | /dɾen/ (from spelling rules) | masculine |
The term refers to a conduit for liquids. You can use the related verb desaguar to describe the action of liquid flowing out of a container or a specific area. If you mean to deplete something of energy, use the verb agotar.
Which one should you use?
The choice of word depends on the scale of the drain. Desagüe is the most common term for a household drain, such as those found in a sink or bathtub. Drenaje often refers to a broader system of drainage, such as city or field drainage, rather than a single specific sink drain. Desaguadero is typically used for larger-scale outlets, such as where a river flows into a sea or a large natural drainage point.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In some areas of South America, desaguadero is used interchangeably with desagüe.
Related words
How does it change in a sentence?
All the forms provided are masculine nouns: desagüe, drenaje, desaguadero and dren.
How do you pronounce it?
/deˈsaɡwe/
Did you know?
- The word drenaje is not a direct descendant of Latin in Spanish, but was borrowed from French, which had previously borrowed it from English.
- While English speakers use 'drain' for both a physical pipe and an exhausting feeling, Spanish requires you to switch from physical terms like desagüe to emotional terms like agotar.
- The word dren is almost never used in casual conversation and is reserved for highly specialized engineering and agricultural contexts.
Examples in context
- El desagüe está tapado.The drain is clogged.This sentence is useful for describing a clogged desagüe.Tatoeba #1695164 by hayastan, translation #8577887 by Hybrid
- Odio cuando el pelo tapa el drenaje.I hate it when hair clogs the drain.This sentence is useful for describing how hair clogs a drenaje.Tatoeba #3037585 by marcelostockle, translation #2354312 by orcrist
- El desaguadero está atascado de nuevo.The drain is clogged again.This sentence is useful for stating that a desaguadero is clogged again.Tatoeba #4995209 by rafaeld4, translation #4994801 by Zurich899
- El agua se acumula en el desagüe.The water accumulates in the drain.
- La alcantarilla está obstruida con hojas.The sewer drain is clogged with leaves.
- El sumidero de la ducha está atascado.The shower drain is clogged.
- Limpia el desaguadero para evitar inundaciones.Clean the drain to prevent floods.
- 1 more sentence on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Alejandro and Sofía are in the kitchen after a cooking mishap.
- Alejandro¿Viste el agua en el desagüe?Did you see the water in the drain?
- SofíaSí, Alejandro, parece que hay un problema.Yes, Alejandro, it looks like there is a problem.
- AlejandroEl desagüe de la cocina es muy lento.The kitchen drain is very slow.
- SofíaNecesitamos llamar a un fontanero ahora.We need to call a plumber now.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “drain” translations and entries desagüe, drenaje, desaguadero, dren, 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 desaguadero, desagüe, drenaje, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
