arenero
/aɾeˈneɾo/masculine
The Spanish word for sandbox is arenero. Wiktionary also lists caja arenácea and caja arenosa.
Meaning: box with sand for children (noun)
Ways to say it
| Spanish | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| arenero | /aɾeˈneɾo/ | masculine |
| caja arenácea | /kaxa aɾenaθea/ (Spain, from spelling rules) /kaxa aɾenasea/ (Latin America, from spelling rules) |
feminine |
| caja arenosa | /kaxa aɾenosa/ (from spelling rules) | feminine |
| caja arenisca | /kaxa aɾeniska/ (from spelling rules) | feminine |
The term arenero refers to a box filled with sand for children to play in. In many Spanish-speaking contexts, this same word is also used to refer to a cat's litter box.
What does it mean word for word?
The word arenero is a compound formed from arena (sand) and the suffix -ero, which is used to denote a container or a place for a specific substance.
How does it change in a sentence?
The plural form of arenero is areneros.
How do you pronounce it?
/aɾeˈneɾo/
Did you know?
- In Spanish, the word arena for 'sand' shares the same root as the English word 'arena', because ancient Roman fighting grounds were covered in sand to soak up blood.
- The word caja is also the standard term used for a 'cash register' or a 'checkout counter' in a store.
- While arenero describes a place for sand, the suffix -ero is so versatile that it also turns the word for 'sand' into the name for a person who sells or extracts sand.
Examples in context
- Los niños todavía están jugando en el arenero.The boys are still playing in the sandbox.This sentence is useful for describing where children are playing using the form arenero.Tatoeba #977080 by Shishir, translation #1334976 by CM
- Los niños están jugando en el arenero.The children are playing in the sandbox.Tatoeba #11043024 by Adelpa, translation #10302651 by nipbud
- A los gatos les gustan hacer caca en el arenero de nuestros hijos.Cats like to poop in our kids' sandbox.This sentence is useful for describing a situation involving cats and the form arenero.Tatoeba #10801849 by Luornu, translation #8633979 by Eccles17
- Necesito comprar una caja de arena para el parque infantil.I need to buy a sandbox for the playground.
- Mis hijos pasan horas jugando en el arenero del jardín.My children spend hours playing in the sandbox in the garden.
- La caja de arena de este parque es mucho más grande que la del parque anterior.The sandbox in this park is much bigger than the previous one.
- 1 more sentence on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Javier and Sofía are at a public park with their toddler.
- Sofía¿Está limpio el arenero?Is the sandbox clean?
- JavierSí, parece que está en buen estado.Yes, it looks to be in good condition.
- SofíaPerfecto, vamos a llevarlo al arenero.Perfect, let's take him to the sandbox.
- JavierTen cuidado con la arena, Sofía.Be careful with the sand, Sofía.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “sandbox” translations and entries arenero, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- IPA marked “from spelling rules” is derived from standard Spanish spelling, where Wiktionary gives none.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
