aspiradora
/aspiɾaˈdoɾa/
The English phrase vacuum is aspiradora in Spanish.
In natural speech, if you want to express the action of vacuuming a surface, it is very common to use the phrase pasar la aspiradora.
Meaning: transitive: to clean with a vacuum cleaner (verb)
What does it mean word for word?
The noun aspiradora is derived from the verb aspirar, which means to vacuum, to inhale or to suck.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In Venezuela, the term Electrolux is sometimes used to refer to a vacuum cleaner.
Related words
How do you pronounce it?
/aspiɾaˈdoɾa/
What mistakes should you avoid?
English speakers often mistakenly use vacío to mean the appliance. However, vacío refers to a void or empty space, whereas the appliance is aspiradora.
Did you know?
- Because aspirar means both 'to vacuum' and 'to inhale', the word can be used in slang to describe the act of sniffing powder drugs.
- The verb aspirar is used for vacuuming, but it is also the word used for 'aspiring' to a goal or dream.
- While the English word 'vacuum' comes from the Latin for 'empty', the Spanish word aspiradora is built from the root for 'breathing'.
Examples in context
- Esta aspiradora es muy ruidosa.This vacuum cleaner makes a lot of noise.This sentence is useful for describing the noise level of an aspiradora.Tatoeba #3384630 by marcelostockle, translation #58038 by CK
- Los gatos odian las aspiradoras.Cats hate vacuum cleaners.This sentence is useful for expressing how pets feel about an aspiradora.Tatoeba #5917533 by baudelaire, translation #870412 by Scott
- Mac me ayudó a llevar la aspiradora.Mac helped me carry the vacuum cleaner.This sentence is useful for describing carrying an aspiradora.Tatoeba #1012937 by Shishir, translation #32543 by CN
- ¿Tienes una aspiradora?Do you have a vacuum cleaner?
- ¿Dónde puedo comprar una aspiradora?Where can I buy a vacuum cleaner?
- Estoy pasando la aspiradora.I am vacuuming.
- Necesito un robot aspirador.I need a robot vacuum cleaner.
- 6 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Elena and Mateo are cleaning the living room together.
- ElenaVoy a pasar la aspiradora ahora.I am going to vacuum now.
- MateoEstá bien, yo limpio el polvo.That is fine, I will dust.
- Elena¿Dónde dejaste la aspiradora, Mateo?Where did you leave the vacuum, Mateo?
- MateoEstá en el armario del pasillo.It is in the hallway closet.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry aspiradora, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries aspiradora, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
