tabla de lavar
/tabla de labaɾ/from spelling rules
The English word "washboard" is translated into Spanish as tabla de lavar.
tabla de lavar refers to the board used for scrubbing clothes during the laundry process.
Meaning: board to do laundry (noun)
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase is composed of tabla (board), de (of/for) and lavar (to wash).
How do you pronounce it?
/tabla de labaɾ/
Did you know?
- In many Spanish-speaking cultures, the traditional method of washing clothes was often done at a lavadero, a communal stone basin that served as a social hub for the neighborhood.
- The word lavar shares a common ancestor with the English word 'lavatory', as both stem from the same Proto-Indo-European root for washing.
- The verb lavar is used not only for clothes on a tabla de lavar but also for 'washing' a car or 'washing' money in the context of money laundering (lavado de dinero).
Examples in context
- Necesito una tabla de lavar para la ropa.I need a washboard for the clothes.
- Necesito una tabla de lavar nueva.I need a new washboard.
- La tabla de lavar es de madera.The washboard is made of wood.
- Busca la tabla de lavar en el lavadero.Look for the washboard in the laundry room.
Example conversation
Elena and Alejandro are cleaning an old house together.
- Elena¿Qué es este objeto de madera, Alejandro?What is this wooden object, Alejandro?
- AlejandroEso es una tabla de lavar antigua.That is an old washboard.
- ElenaParece muy pesada para moverla.It seems very heavy to move.
- AlejandroSí, pero es muy útil para lavar.Yes, but it is very useful for washing.
Sources
- IPA marked “from spelling rules” is derived from standard Spanish spelling, where Wiktionary gives none.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries de, lavar, tabla, CC BY-SA 4.0.
