Ways to say it
| Spanish | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| poza | /ˈpoθa/ /ˈposa/ |
feminine |
| pileta | /piˈleta/ | feminine |
| balsa | /ˈbalsa/ | feminine |
The word you choose depends entirely on whether the body of water is natural, man-made for swimming or an industrial reservoir. While poza refers to natural pools or hollows, the most common and standard term for a constructed swimming pool is piscina. Other terms include pileta for swimming pools in specific regions and balsa for large agricultural or industrial water tanks.
Which one should you use?
Spanish speakers use different words based on the type of pool. Poza is used for a natural pool or a hollow in a river. Piscina is the standard, most common term for a man-made swimming pool. Pileta is also used for a swimming pool in certain regions. Balsa refers to a larger, artificial body of water like a pond, a water tank or an industrial reservoir.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In the Rioplatense region, specifically in Argentina and Uruguay, pileta is the standard word used to refer to a swimming pool.
Related words
How does it change in a sentence?
All three forms are feminine nouns. The plural forms are las pozas, las piletas and las balsas.
How do you pronounce it?
/ˈpoθa/
When do people say it?
When discussing swimming, you might use phrases like piscina de natación (swimming pool), piscina pública (public pool) or piscina privada (private pool). Other common variations include piscina cubierta (indoor pool), piscina al aire libre (outdoor pool), piscina de borde infinito (infinity pool) and piscina para niños (kiddie pool). If you are attending a social gathering, you might go to a fiesta en la piscina (pool party).
Did you know?
- The word balsa is also the Spanish word for a 'raft', creating a potential confusion between a body of water and the object that floats on it.
- Depending on the region, pileta can refer to a swimming pool, a kitchen sink or even a small basin for washing clothes.
- The word pileta is a diminutive of pila, meaning it literally describes a 'little washbasin'.
Examples in context
- ¡No quiero ir a la pileta!I don't want to go to the pool!This sentence expresses a refusal to go to the pileta.Tatoeba #2594543 by hayastan, translation #2594358 by Hybrid
- No había nadie en la pileta.No one was in the swimming pool.This sentence describes the absence of people in the pileta.Tatoeba #2092180 by hayastan, translation #2091208 by CK
- Tom vio algo flotando en la pileta.Tom saw something floating in the pool.This sentence describes something floating in the pileta.Tatoeba #2160821 by hayastan, translation #1884458 by CK
- El hotel cuenta con una hermosa piscina al aire libre.The hotel has a beautiful outdoor pool.
- ¡Qué refrescante es nadar en la alberca durante el verano!How refreshing it is to swim in the pool during summer!
- Me gustaría disfrutar de un día soleado en la pileta.I would like to enjoy a sunny day in the pool.
- ¡Vamos a la piscina a nadar y relajarnos!Let's go to the pool to swim and relax!
- 1 more sentence on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Mateo and Lucía are talking about their hotel room.
- MateoLa habitación tiene vista a la poza.The room has a view of the pool.
- Lucía¡Qué bien! ¿Está abierta hoy?That's great! Is it open today?
- MateoSí, la poza está abierta hasta las diez.Yes, the pool is open until ten.
- LucíaEntonces vamos a nadar ahora.Then let's go swimming now.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “pool” translations and entries poza, pileta, balsa, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries balsa, pileta, poza, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
