Ways to say it
| Spanish | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| óxido | /ˈoɡsido/ | masculine |
| herrumbre | /eˈrumbɾe/ | feminine |
| moho | /ˈmoo/ | masculine |
| orín | /oˈɾin/ | masculine |
In Spanish, several words can mean "rust". Óxido is the standard term for the result of oxidation on metals. Herrumbre is also used for rust or corrosion, while moho refers to biological growth such as mold or mildew and orín is used.
Which one should you use?
While óxido is the most common way to describe metallic oxidation, herrumbre is a more literary or formal way to refer to rust or corrosion. It is important not to confuse óxido with moho, as the latter refers to biological growth like mold or mildew rather than metal oxidation.
Related words
How does it change in a sentence?
Óxido and orín are masculine nouns, while herrumbre is a feminine noun. If you need to describe the process of rusting, you can use the verbs aherrumbrar or herrumbrar or the reflexive verb aherrumbrarse to mean "to oxidise".
How do you pronounce it?
/ˈoɡsido/
Did you know?
Examples in context
- El óxido se está comiendo el hierro.The rust is eating away the iron.This sentence shows how óxido can be used to describe the effect of oxidation on iron.Tatoeba #13526589 by Seael, translation #5914826 by astru
- La escalera estaba cubierta de polvo y óxido.The ladder was covered with dust and rust.This sentence illustrates the use of óxido when describing a surface covered in dust and rust.Tatoeba #1304889 by ildefonk, translation #50024 by CK
- Las paredes de la casa son de color amarillo pálido. Las contraventanas son color óxido.The walls of the house are pale yellow, the shutters rust-coloured.This sentence demonstrates how óxido can be used to describe a rust-coloured object.Tatoeba #10046646 by manufrutos, translation #10019062 by sundown
- La barandilla de hierro está cubierta de óxido.The iron railing is covered in rust.
- Las piezas de metal sufren oxidación después de un período de exposición.Metal pieces undergo rust after a period of exposure.
- 3 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Javier and Elena are looking at an old bicycle in the garage.
- JavierMira cuántos puntos de óxido tiene esta bici.Look at how many spots of rust this bike has.
- ElenaSí, Javier, parece que estuvo afuera mucho tiempo.Yes, Javier, it seems it was outside for a long time.
- Javier¿Crees que podemos quitar el óxido con un spray?Do you think we can remove the rust with a spray?
- ElenaProbablemente, pero necesitamos lijarla primero.Probably, but we need to sand it first.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “rust” translations and entries óxido, herrumbre, moho, orín, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries herrumbre, moho, orín, óxido, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
