pestillo
/pesˈtiʝo/masculine
The English word 'latch' is translated into Spanish as pestillo. Wiktionary also lists cerrojo and falleba.
Meaning: fastening for a door (noun)
Ways to say it
| Spanish | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| pestillo | /pesˈtiʝo/ | masculine |
| cerrojo | /θeˈroxo/ /seˈroxo/ |
masculine |
| falleba | /faˈʝeba/ | feminine |
| piesllo | /pjesʝo/ (from spelling rules) | masculine |
| picaporte | /pikaˈpoɾte/ | masculine |
| verrojo | /beroxo/ (from spelling rules) | also, dialectal, masculine |
In Spanish, several words are used for a fastening for a door. You can also use the related verbs acerrojar or apestillar to mean the action of closing or securing a door with a latch.
Which one should you use?
The different Spanish forms describe specific types of fastenings. cerrojo typically refers to a more heavy-duty sliding bolt. If you are referring specifically to the handle or the mechanism used to operate a latch, use picaporte.
Is it said differently in some regions?
Verrojo is a dialectal variation used in certain Spanish-speaking regions to refer to a latch or a bolt.
Related words
How does it change in a sentence?
Most forms for latch are masculine, such as pestillo, cerrojo, piesllo, picaporte and verrojo, but falleba is a feminine noun.
How do you pronounce it?
/pesˈtiʝo/
Did you know?
- The word falleba actually traces its origins back to Arabic, specifically the word ḵallāba.
Examples in context
- Asegura el pestillo antes de salirLatch the bolt before leaving
- Asegúrate de que el cerrojo esté bien colocadoEnsure that the latch is properly positioned
- El pestillo está roto.The latch is broken.
- Asegura bien el pestillo.Secure the latch well.
- No puedo mover el pestillo.I cannot move the latch.
Example conversation
Lucía and Javier are fixing a wooden gate at their house.
- LucíaJavier, ¿puedes revisar el pestillo?Javier, can you check the latch?
- JavierSí, el pestillo parece estar bien.Yes, the latch seems to be fine.
- LucíaNo estoy segura, parece flojo.I am not sure, it seems loose.
- JavierTienes razón, voy a arreglarlo.You are right, I am going to fix it.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “latch” translations and entries pestillo, cerrojo, falleba, picaporte, 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 cerrojo, falleba, pestillo, CC BY-SA 4.0.
