Ways to say it
| Spanish | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| barco | /ˈbaɾko/ | masculine |
| buque | /ˈbuke/ | masculine |
| nave | /ˈnabe/ | feminine |
| navío | /naˈbio/ | masculine |
| nao | /ˈnao/ | masculine |
In Spanish, there are several ways to refer to a water craft depending on the size, context and tone you wish to convey. While barco is the most common and general term, other words like buque, nave, navío and nao are used for more specific or specialized purposes.
Which one should you use?
barco is the most common and general word, used for everything from small boats to large ships. buque is a more technical term used specifically for large, commercial or naval vessels like cargo ships. For military contexts, you can use buque de guerra or navío de guerra to refer to warships such as battleships or aircraft carriers. nave is a formal or poetic way to say vessel or craft. navío is primarily used in historical or literary contexts to describe large sailing ships or naval vessels. Finally, nao is a historical term specifically referring to a type of large sailing ship used during the Age of Discovery.
Related words
How does it change in a sentence?
barco, buque, navío and nao are masculine nouns. nave is a feminine noun.
How do you pronounce it?
/ˈbaɾko/
When do people say it?
In modern internet slang, the English loanword shippear is used by subcultures to mean supporting a romantic relationship between fictional characters. If you mean to send a parcel or container, use the verb enviar.
Did you know?
- The word buque shares an ancient linguistic ancestor with the English word 'belly', as it originally referred to the 'trunk' or 'torso' of a vessel.
- If you are looking at the center aisle of a cathedral, the Spanish word is nave, linking the architecture of a church to the structure of a ship.
- While barco is the standard term for any boat, the word nave is often used in modern Spanish to refer to a spacecraft, much like the English 'spacecraft'.
Examples in context
- Ese es un barco.That is a ship.This sentence is useful for identifying a specific barco.Tatoeba #1178635 by marcelostockle, translation #1097997 by cntrational
- Nací en un barco.I was born on a ship.This sentence is useful for stating where one was born using barco.Tatoeba #2693704 by Shishir, translation #2547923 by CK
- El barco se hunde.The ship is sinking.This sentence is useful for describing an action involving a barco.Tatoeba #1423131 by peibolvig, translation #273394 by CK
- El barco llegará al puerto mañana.The ship will arrive at the port tomorrow.
- El buque de carga transporta mercancía a nivel internacional.The cargo ship transports goods internationally.
- Vimos una embarcación de pesca en alta mar.We saw a fishing boat on the high seas.
- 197 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Sofía and Daniel are looking at the harbor.
- SofíaMira ese barco tan grande.Look at that huge ship.
- DanielSí, es un barco de carga.Yes, it is a cargo ship.
- Sofía¿Crees que el barco sale hoy?Do you think the ship leaves today?
- DanielCreo que el barco sale mañana.I think the ship leaves tomorrow.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “ship” translations and entries barco, buque, nave, navío, nao, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries barco, buque, nave, navío, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
