Ways to say it
| Spanish | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| bombilla | /bomˈbiʝa/ | feminine |
| ampolleta | /ampoˈʝeta/ | feminine |
| bombillo | /bomˈbiʝo/ | masculine |
| bujía | /buˈxia/ | feminine |
| foco | /ˈfoko/ | masculine |
The term refers to an evacuated glass bulb containing a metal filament that produces light.
Which one should you use?
While bombilla is a standard term, other words are used depending on the region or context. For instance, foco is the most common way to say light bulb in Mexico and parts of Central America, whereas ampolleta is used in Chile and parts of Central America. Note that bujía is primarily a technical term for a spark plug, though it may occasionally be used colloquially for a bulb in specific contexts.
Is it said differently in some regions?
The choice of word is highly regional: bombilla is the standard term in Spain, foco is used in Mexico and parts of Central America and ampolleta is common in Chile and parts of Central America.
How does it change in a sentence?
The words have different genders. bombilla and ampolleta are feminine nouns, while bombillo and foco are masculine.
How do you pronounce it?
/bomˈbiʝa/
What mistakes should you avoid?
Be careful when using bombilla in South America. In many countries there, the word also means a metal drinking straw used for mate tea.
Did you know?
- The word bujía derives from the name of the city of Béjaïa in Algeria, which was once world-famous for its high-quality candle wax.
Examples in context
- Un bombillo da luz.A light bulb gives light.This sentence shows how a bombillo provides light.Tatoeba #3990120 by gianich73, translation #681358 by Source_VOA
- La ampolleta se reventó.The light bulb burst.This sentence describes a ampolleta bursting.Tatoeba #1386212 by marcelostockle, translation #680452 by Source_VOA
- Yanni arregló la bombilla.Yanni fixed the light bulb.This sentence demonstrates the use of bombilla in a repair context.Tatoeba #10031421 by manufrutos, translation #10031208 by Amastan
- 8 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Mateo and María are in the living room because a lamp stopped working.
- MateoMaría, la lámpara no funciona.María, the lamp isn't working.
- MaríaCreo que es la bombilla.I think it is the light bulb.
- Mateo¿Tienes una bombilla de repuesto?Do you have a spare light bulb?
- MaríaSí, la tengo en el cajón.Yes, I have it in the drawer.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “light bulb” translations and entries bombilla, ampolleta, bombillo, bujía, foco, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries ampolleta, bombilla, bombillo, bujía, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
