paraguas
/paˈɾaɡwas/masculine
The English word "umbrella" is translated into Spanish as paraguas. Wiktionary also lists ambrela and quitaguas.
Meaning: cloth-covered frame used for protection against rain or sun (noun)
Ways to say it
| Spanish | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| paraguas | /paˈɾaɡwas/ | masculine |
| ambrela | /amˈbɾela/ | US, feminine, masculine |
| quitaguas | /kitaɡwas/ (from spelling rules) | masculine |
| bateaguas | /bateaɡwas/ (from spelling rules) | masculine |
The term paraguas refers to a cloth-covered frame used for protection against rain or sun. It is a masculine noun.
Which one should you use?
While paraguas is used for rain, sombrilla is typically used for a parasol or a small sun umbrella used at the beach. Additionally, if you are referring to a beach umbrella, the word parasol is generally used.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In some Caribbean Spanish-speaking regions, the colloquial term quitaguas is used to refer to an umbrella. In certain parts of South America, such as Argentina and Uruguay, paraguas is sometimes replaced with the term paragua.
How does it change in a sentence?
Even though the word paraguas ends in 's', it is treated as a singular noun and uses the singular masculine article el.
How do you pronounce it?
/paˈɾaɡwas/
Did you know?
- The word paraguas is a linguistic 'compound' that acts like a command: it literally translates to 'stop waters'.
- The term bateaguas is another regional variant that functions as a compound, literally meaning 'to beat waters'.
- The word sombrilla is a diminutive of sombra, meaning 'shade', effectively calling a parasol a 'little shade'.
Examples in context
- Ese es mi paraguas.That's my umbrella.This sentence is useful for identifying a specific paraguas.Tatoeba #2295361 by Shishir, translation #2251141 by CK
- Este es mi paraguas.This is my umbrella.Tatoeba #2269720 by marcelostockle, translation #2293571 by CK
- Tom abrió su paraguas.Tom put up his umbrella.This sentence is useful for describing the action of opening a paraguas.Tatoeba #1172548 by marcelostockle, translation #1164289 by CK
- ¿Me prestas tu sombrilla? Va a llover hoy.Can you lend me your umbrella? It's going to rain today.
- 205 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Elena and Mateo are standing near a doorway during a storm.
- Elena¿Tienes un paraguas?Do you have an umbrella?
- MateoSí, lo tengo en mi mochila.Yes, I have it in my backpack.
- ElenaQué bueno, porque está lloviendo mucho.That's good, because it is raining a lot.
- MateoNo te preocupes, Elena.Don't worry, Elena.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “umbrella” translations and entries paraguas, ambrela, 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 ambrela, paraguas, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
