andamio
/anˈdamjo/masculine
The English word scaffold is translated into Spanish as andamio. Wiktionary also lists andamiaje.
Meaning: structure made of scaffolding for workers to stand on (noun)
Ways to say it
| Spanish | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| andamio | /anˈdamjo/ | masculine |
| andamiaje | /andaˈmjaxe/ | masculine |
andamiaje is also used metaphorically in educational contexts to describe the support structures provided to learners.
Which one should you use?
andamio refers specifically to the physical structure or an individual unit of scaffolding. In contrast, andamiaje refers to the entire system, framework or the collective arrangement of the scaffolding.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In Spain, the specific term andamiaje colgante is used to mean a suspended scaffold.
Related words
How does it change in a sentence?
andamiaje is often used as a collective noun to describe a whole setup rather than a single piece of equipment.
How do you pronounce it?
/anˈdamjo/
Did you know?
- Because of its superlative suffix, andamio can be thought of as a structure built for 'walking a lot' or 'walking to the extreme'.
- The word andamiaje uses the suffix -aje, which functions similarly to the English suffix '-age' in words like 'baggage' to denote a collective set of things.
- In Spanish psychology and pedagogy, andamiaje is the specific technical term used to describe 'scaffolding' as a method of teaching.
Examples in context
- Los trabajadores están montando el andamio para la construcción.The workers are setting up the scaffold for the construction.
- Vamos a necesitar mucho andamiaje para pintar esa fachada.We are going to need a lot of scaffolding to paint that facade.
- Los trabajadores están montando un andamiaje colgante para la fachada del edificio.The workers are setting up a suspended scaffold for the building facade.
- El obrero subió al andamio.The worker climbed onto the scaffold.
- Necesitamos un andamio más alto para la pared.We need a higher scaffold for the wall.
- El andamio parece muy estable.The scaffold looks very stable.
Example conversation
Two coworkers are discussing construction equipment on a job site.
- María¿Dónde está el andamio nuevo?Where is the new scaffold?
- DanielEstá junto a la entrada, María.It is next to the entrance, María.
- MaríaDaniel, ¿es seguro usar ese andamio?Daniel, is it safe to use that scaffold?
- DanielSí, lo revisamos esta mañana.Yes, we checked it this morning.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “scaffold” translations and entries andamio, andamiaje, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries andamiaje, andamio, CC BY-SA 4.0.
