llave
faucet, Mexico
In Mexico a water tap is a llave, or more fully llave del agua. The same word llave also means a key.
Meaning: water faucet (noun)
Ways to say it
| Mexican | Note |
|---|---|
| llave | faucet, Mexico |
| llave del agua | neutral |
People say abre la llave to turn the tap on and cierra la llave to turn it off. Water from the tap is agua de la llave.
Which one should you use?
Context separates the two meanings: llave de la casa is the house key and llave del lavabo is the sink tap. The word grifo is used in Spain and is rare in Mexico.
What mistakes should you avoid?
Many Mexicans prefer bottled water to agua de la llave for drinking, so ask before you drink it.
Did you know?
- The word llave covers both a tap and a key in Mexican Spanish.
Examples in context
- Cierra la llave, por favor.Close the tap, please.
- La llave del baño gotea.The bathroom tap drips.
- No tomes agua de la llave.Do not drink tap water.
Example conversation
Héctor and his mother Amparo notice a leak in the kitchen in Aguascalientes.
- HéctorMamá, la llave está goteando.Mom, the tap is dripping.
- AmparoCiérrala bien, por favor.Close it well, please.
- HéctorYa, mañana llamo al plomero.Done, tomorrow I will call the plumber.
