carambola
/kaɾamˈbola/
The English phrase pileup is translated into Spanish as carambola.
carambola is used to describe a chain reaction of collisions, often used in news reports or traffic updates.
Which one should you use?
A more descriptive way to say 'pileup' is carambola de coches.
How do you pronounce it?
/kaɾamˈbola/
What mistakes should you avoid?
English speakers might mistakenly think carambola refers only to the fruit (starfruit), but in a traffic context, it specifically refers to a multi-vehicle collision.
Did you know?
- The word carambola is a linguistic traveler that moved from Sanskrit to Marathi and Malay before reaching Portuguese and eventually Spanish.
- In the context of billiards or pool, a carambola refers to a specific type of shot where the cue ball strikes two other balls, which mirrors the 'chain reaction' concept of a traffic pileup.
- In a figurative sense, carambola can describe a series of unexpected events that lead to a surprising result, similar to the English phrase 'fluke'.
Examples in context
- El accidente automovilístico ocurrió debido a una colisión en cadena en la autopista principal.The car accident happened due to a pileup on the main highway.
- El choque múltiple causó un gran caos en la vía.The pileup caused great chaos on the road.
- ¡Vaya! ¡Hubo un choque en serie en la calle principal!Wow! There was a pileup on the main street!
- Hubo una carambola en la autopista.There was a pileup on the highway.
- La carambola causó un gran atasco.The pileup caused a huge traffic jam.
- Varios coches se vieron envueltos en la carambola.Several cars were involved in the pileup.
Example conversation
Alejandro and Elena are talking on the phone during rush hour.
- Alejandro¿Por qué llegas tan tarde, Elena?Why are you so late, Elena?
- ElenaHay una carambola en la entrada de la ciudad.There is a pileup at the city entrance.
- AlejandroLo siento mucho, espero que no haya heridos.I'm very sorry, I hope no one is hurt.
- ElenaGracias, pero el tráfico está totalmente parado.Thanks, but the traffic is completely stopped.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry carambola, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries carambola, CC BY-SA 4.0.
