leño
/ˈleɲo/masculine
The English word "timber" can be translated into Spanish as leño or madero.
Meaning: wood that has been cut ready for construction (noun)
Ways to say it
| Spanish | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| leño | /ˈleɲo/ | masculine |
| madero | /maˈdeɾo/ | masculine |
The term refers to wood that has been cut ready for construction.
Which one should you use?
When used in the plural, maderos specifically means "timbers" or "beams".
Related words
How does it change in a sentence?
Both leño and madero are masculine nouns. The plural form of madero is maderos.
How do you pronounce it?
/ˈleɲo/
When do people say it?
In the context of logging, speakers use specific warning shouts such as fuera abajo, árbol va or tronco va.
Did you know?
- In colloquial Spanish, calling someone madero can be a slang way to refer to a police officer.
- In many Spanish-speaking countries, if you shout ¡madero! in a forest, people might mistake it for a person's name or a mistake rather than a warning.
- The word leño shares an ancient root with the English word 'collect', originating from the Proto-Indo-European word for gathering things together.
Examples in context
- Necesitamos comprar madera para la construcciónWe need to buy timber for the construction
- Necesito varias tablas de madera para construir una estanteríaI need several planks of timber to build a shelf
- Necesito una maderita para reparar la mesaI need a piece of timber to fix the table
Example conversation
Alejandro and Lucía are building a wooden fence in the garden.
- AlejandroLucía, ¿puedes pasarme aquel leño?Lucía, can you pass me that piece of timber?
- LucíaSí, Alejandro, aquí tienes el leño.Yes, Alejandro, here is the timber.
- AlejandroGracias, ahora voy a clavarlo.Thanks, now I am going to nail it.
- LucíaTen cuidado con tus dedos.Be careful with your fingers.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “timber” translations and entries leño, madero, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries leño, madero, CC BY-SA 4.0.
