moto de agua
/ˌmoto de ˈaɡwa/feminine
In Spanish, the English phrase jet ski is translated as moto de agua. Wiktionary also lists jet ski (yetski) and moto acuática.
Meaning: small motorized water craft (noun)
Ways to say it
| Spanish | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| moto de agua | /ˌmoto de ˈaɡwa/ | feminine |
| jet ski (yetski) | masculine | |
| moto acuática | /moto akwatika/ (from spelling rules) | feminine |
The terms refer to a small motorized water craft.
What does it mean word for word?
The term moto de agua literally translates to water motorcycle.
Which one should you use?
The anglicism jet ski is treated as a masculine noun, whereas the standard Spanish term moto de agua is feminine. The term moto acuática is a synonymous feminine form used to describe the same vehicle.
How does it change in a sentence?
The phrase moto de agua is a feminine noun and requires feminine articles or adjectives. The anglicism jet ski is treated as a masculine noun.
How do you pronounce it?
/ˌmoto de ˈaɡwa/
Did you know?
- The word agua in moto de agua is a feminine noun, but in other contexts, it uses masculine articles like el agua to avoid a sound clash.
- The English word 'ea', meaning a small stream or river, is a distant relative of the word agua through their shared Proto-Indo-European root.
- Depending on the country, a moto de agua might be referred to simply as a moto if the context of being at a beach or lake is already established.
Examples in context
- Me gustaría alquilar una moto acuática para el fin de semanaI would like to rent a jet ski for the weekend
- Vamos a dar un paseo en la moto de aguaLet's go for a ride on the jet ski
- ¡El wave runner es increíblemente divertido!The jet ski is incredibly fun!
- Voy a montar en la moto acuáticaI am going to ride the jet ski
- Quiero alquilar una moto de agua.I want to rent a jet ski.
- Esa moto de agua es muy rápida.That jet ski is very fast.
- No sé conducir una moto de agua.I don't know how to ride a jet ski.
Example conversation
At a beach resort, discussing water activities.
- Lucía¿Quieres subir a la moto de agua?Do you want to get on the jet ski?
- DanielSí, me encantaría probarla.Yes, I would love to try it.
- LucíaEs muy divertida, Daniel.It is very fun, Daniel.
- Daniel¡Vamos, vamos a buscar una!Let's go, let's go find one!
Sources
- Wiktionary, “jet ski” translations and entries moto de agua, 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 agua, de, jet, moto, moto de agua, CC BY-SA 4.0.
