cortacésped
/koɾtaˈθesped/feminine
The English phrase "lawnmower" is translated into Spanish as cortacésped. Wiktionary also lists cortahierba and cortapasto.
Meaning: a device to cut grass (noun)
Ways to say it
| Spanish | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| cortacésped | /koɾtaˈθesped/ /koɾtaˈsesped/ |
feminine |
| cortahierba | /koɾtajeɾba/ (from spelling rules) | masculine |
| cortapasto | /koɾtapasto/ (from spelling rules) | masculine |
| cortador de césped | /koɾtaˌdoɾ de ˈθesped/ /koɾtaˌdoɾ de ˈsesped/ |
masculine |
| cortador de hierba | /koɾtadoɾ de jeɾba/ (from spelling rules) | masculine |
| cortador de pasto | /koɾtaˌdoɾ de ˈpasto/ | masculine |
| podadora | /podaˈdoɾa/ | feminine |
| chapeadora | /t͡ʃapeadoɾa/ (from spelling rules) | feminine |
A lawnmower is a device to cut grass.
Which one should you use?
While cortacésped is the most common term for a lawnmower, podadora is often used to refer to a mower or a trimmer/hedge trimmer depending on the context.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In some Latin American countries, cortadora de pasto and cortadora de zacate are used to mean lawnmower. The term cortador de pasto is commonly used in several Latin American countries, whereas césped is more common in Spain. In Central American countries, the term chapeadora is frequently used to refer to a grass cutter or mower.
How does it change in a sentence?
Despite the source pack marking cortacésped as feminine, it is grammatically masculine when used with an article (el cortacésped).
How do you pronounce it?
/koɾtaˈθesped/
Did you know?
- The English word 'curtail' shares a common ancestor with the Spanish word cortador, both stemming from the same Proto-Indo-European root meaning 'to cut'.
- Depending on whether you use hierba, pasto, or césped, you are actually changing the perceived type of vegetation from wild grass to cultivated lawn.
- In some rural areas, cortapasto is used because pasto refers specifically to pasture land for livestock rather than a decorative garden lawn.
Examples in context
- Este cortacésped funciona con gasolina, no le eches gasoil.This lawnmower runs on gasoline, don't put diesel in.This sentence is useful for demonstrating how to use cortacésped when discussing fuel types.Tatoeba #10736714 by saverius, translation #13620594 by araneo
- ¿Dónde guardaste la cortacésped?Where did you store the lawnmower?
Example conversation
Sofía and Daniel are discussing garden chores.
- SofíaDaniel, ¿sabes dónde está la cortacésped?Daniel, do you know where the lawnmower is?
- DanielCreo que se quedó en el patio.I think it stayed in the yard.
- SofíaNo la veo por ninguna parte.I don't see it anywhere.
- DanielMira detrás de los arbustos, Sofía.Look behind the bushes, Sofía.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “lawnmower” translations and entries cortacésped, cortahierba, cortapasto, cortador de césped, cortador de hierba, cortador de pasto, podadora, 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 cortacésped, cortador, cortahierba, cortapasto, césped, de, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
