bocanada
/bokaˈnada/
The English word 'puff' can be translated into Spanish as bocanada, referring to an informal act of inhaling smoke from a cigarette, cigar or pipe.
In Spanish, bocanada is used to describe an act of inhaling or a single breathful amount of a substance. It is very common to see it paired with the preposition de and the noun humo to form the phrase bocanada de humo to mean a 'puff of smoke'.
Meaning: informal: act of inhaling smoke from a cigarette, cigar or pipe (noun)
What does it mean word for word?
Literally, it translates to a 'mouthful' of something such as smoke or air.
How do you pronounce it?
/bokaˈnada/
Did you know?
- In a figurative sense, bocanadas can describe the rhythmic sound of heavy breathing or sobbing, moving beyond the physical act of smoking.
- The word boca shares a common ancestor with the English word 'cheek', stemming from the same root that refers to the mouth area.
- While bocanada usually refers to smoke, it can also describe a sudden gust of wind or a gasp of air, such as a bocanada de aire fresco when stepping outside.
Examples in context
- Una bocanada de humo de tabaco tiene un rápido efecto en cada parte del propio cuerpo.One puff of tobacco smoke has a rapid effect on every part of one's body.This sentence illustrates how a single bocanada of tobacco smoke affects the body.
- Suspiró de alivio.He/she sighed with relief.
- Escuché una ráfaga de aire.I heard a gust of air.
- El niño sopló las velas de su pastel.The child blew out the candles on his cake.
- Hizo un soplo suave para enfriar la sopa.He made a gentle puff to cool down the soup.
- Dio una bocanada de su cigarro.He took a puff of his cigar.
- Soltó una bocanada de humo en el aire.She released a puff of smoke into the air.
Example conversation
Mateo is smoking on a balcony.
- MateoSolo una bocanada más y entro.Just one more puff and I'll go inside.
- SofíaHuele muy fuerte aquí, Mateo.It smells very strong here, Mateo.
- MateoLo siento, ya terminé.I'm sorry, I'm done now.
- SofíaEstá bien, vamos adentro.That's fine, let's go inside.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry bocanada, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Wiktionary CC BY-SA 4.0.
