casco
/ˈkasko/masculine
The Spanish word for helmet is casco. Wiktionary also lists yelmo and casquete.
Meaning: protective head covering (noun)
Ways to say it
| Spanish | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| casco | /ˈkasko/ | masculine |
| yelmo | /ˈʝelmo/ | masculine |
| casquete | /kasˈkete/ | masculine |
| morrión | /morjon/ (from spelling rules) | masculine |
| capacete | /kapaθete/ (Spain, from spelling rules) /kapasete/ (Latin America, from spelling rules) |
masculine |
| cerbillera | /θeɾbiʝeɾa/ (Spain, from spelling rules) /seɾbiʝeɾa/ (Latin America, from spelling rules) |
feminine |
The term for a protective head covering can be expressed in several ways depending on the specific type of headgear being described.
Which one should you use?
casco is the standard, modern term used for any protective helmet, such as those used for cycling, construction or motorcycles. In contrast, yelmo refers specifically to historical or medieval knightly helmets.
How does it change in a sentence?
All the masculine forms provided, including casco, yelmo, casquete, morrión and capacete, are masculine nouns. The form cerbillera is a feminine noun.
How do you pronounce it?
/ˈkasko/
Did you know?
- The word casco comes from the verb cascar, which means 'to split' or 'to crack'.
- In certain Spanish-speaking regions, casco is also used to refer to the 'city center' or the 'old town' of a place, much like the 'shell' of a central area.
- While casco is the most common word, it is also used in Spanish to refer to a 'shell' or 'hull' of a ship, or even the 'shell' of a nut.
Examples in context
- Una bala perforó el casco.A bullet pierced the helmet.This sentence shows how a bullet can pierce a casco.Tatoeba #2192148 by marcelostockle, translation #276757 by CM
- Tom no tenía el casco puesto.Tom didn't have his helmet on.This sentence describes someone not wearing a casco.Tatoeba #10170519 by manufrutos, translation #10166107 by CK
- La ley es el casco más seguro.Law is the safest helmet.This sentence uses casco in a metaphorical sense.Tatoeba #2530488 by marcelostockle, translation #714827 by Scott
- Necesito un casco para andar en bicicleta.I need a helmet to ride a bicycle.
- Asegúrese de llevar siempre su casco de seguridad en la construcción.Make sure to always wear your safety helmet at the construction site.
- Los niños se divirtieron mucho jugando a los caballeros con sus yelmos de plástico.The children had a lot of fun playing knights with their plastic helmets.
- 19 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Javier and Lucía are preparing to go mountain biking.
- Javier¿Dónde dejaste mi casco?Where did you leave my helmet?
- LucíaEstá sobre la mesa, Javier.It is on the table, Javier.
- JavierGracias, ahora estoy listo.Thanks, now I am ready.
- LucíaNo olvides usar el casco siempre.Don't forget to always use your helmet.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “helmet” translations and entries casco, yelmo, casquete, morrión, 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 casco, casquete, morrión, yelmo, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
