agua del grifo
/ˌaɡwa del ˈɡɾifo/feminine
The English phrase 'tap water' is translated into Spanish as agua del grifo. Wiktionary also lists agua de caño.
Meaning: water from a tap (noun)
Ways to say it
| Spanish | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| agua del grifo | /ˌaɡwa del ˈɡɾifo/ | feminine |
| agua de caño | /aɡwa de kaɲo/ (from spelling rules) | feminine |
This noun phrase is used to refer to water from a tap (noun).
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase agua del grifo literally means 'water of the tap'.
Which one should you use?
While agua del grifo is the standard term, other variations exist depending on the region or level of formality.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In several Latin American countries, such as Peru or Colombia, you will often hear the term agua de caño to mean water from the pipe or tap.
How does it change in a sentence?
Both agua del grifo and agua de caño are feminine nouns.
How do you pronounce it?
/ˌaɡwa del ˈɡɾifo/
Did you know?
- The word grifo for 'tap' comes from the word for 'griffin'. This is because early fountain faucets were often decorated with the heads of these mythical creatures.
- In some Latin American countries, ordering agua de la llave is more common than saying agua del grifo. The word llave literally means 'key'.
- Despite being a feminine noun, agua is paired with the masculine article el in the singular form el agua to avoid a clashing sound. This is why the phrase uses del instead of de la.
Examples in context
- Prefiero el agua del grifo.I prefer tap water.This sentence is useful for expressing a preference for agua del grifo.Tatoeba #13816289 by Seael, translation #13819004 by araneo
- ¿La gente de Boston bebe agua del grifo?Do people in Boston drink tap water?This sentence is useful for asking if people in Boston drink agua del grifo.Tatoeba #3045162 by Shishir, translation #3024453 by CK
- ¿Es potable el agua del grifo en Australia?Is the tap water in Australia drinkable?This sentence is useful for asking if agua del grifo is drinkable in Australia.Tatoeba #5755790 by arh, translation #3040117 by AnneWy
- 5 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
At a restaurant in Madrid.
- Sofía¿Me trae un vaso con agua del grifo, por favor?Can you bring me a glass with tap water, please?
- DanielClaro, Sofía. En seguida se lo traigo.Of course, Sofía. I will bring it to you right away.
- SofíaGracias, Daniel. No quiero gastar en botellas.Thanks, Daniel. I don't want to spend money on bottles.
- DanielNo hay problema, el agua del grifo es muy buena aquí.No problem, the tap water is very good here.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “tap water” translations and entries agua del grifo, 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.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries agua, caño, de, del, grifo, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
