ruido blanco
/rwido blanko/from spelling rulesmasculine
The English phrase "white noise" is translated into Spanish as ruido blanco. Wiktionary also lists sonido blanco and alteración blanca.
Meaning: random signal with flat power spectral density (noun)
Ways to say it
| Spanish | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| ruido blanco | /rwido blanko/ (from spelling rules) | masculine |
| sonido blanco | /sonido blanko/ (from spelling rules) | masculine |
| alteración blanca | /alteɾaθjon blanka/ (Spain, from spelling rules) /alteɾasjon blanka/ (Latin America, from spelling rules) |
feminine |
This term refers to a random signal with a flat power spectral density.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase is composed of ruido (noise) and blanco (white).
How does it change in a sentence?
Because ruido is a masculine noun, the adjective blanco must also be in its masculine form.
Did you know?
- The word ruido is a linguistic relative of the English word 'rut', which refers to a period of high sexual activity in animals.
- While ruido blanco is the standard term, the word ruido can also be used colloquially in Spanish to describe a commotion or a loud argument between people.
- The word ruido belongs to a family of Spanish words ending in '-ido', such as rugido (roar) and chirrido (screech), which often describe harsh or loud auditory phenomena.
Examples in context
- El ruido blanco puede ser útil para conciliar el sueño.White noise can be helpful for falling asleep.
- Escucho ruido blanco para dormir mejor.I listen to white noise to sleep better.
- La aplicación genera ruido blanco constante.The app generates constant white noise.
- Prefiero el ruido blanco al silencio absoluto.I prefer white noise to absolute silence.
Example conversation
Mateo and María are in their bedroom preparing for sleep.
- Mateo¿Pones el ruido blanco, María?Are you putting on the white noise, María?
- MaríaSí, Mateo, ya lo estoy activando.Yes, Mateo, I am activating it now.
- MateoEse ruido blanco me ayuda a relajarme.That white noise helps me relax.
- MaríaA mí también me encanta.I love it too.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “white noise” translations, 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 alteración, blanco, ruido, sonido, CC BY-SA 4.0.
