We want to talk about construction again and being the Carpentry area one of our main areas in the construction world, we decided to make this new blog about its terminology and vocabulary that can be used daily. And knowing how important it is to have good and clear communication with your clients in construction to help, you will find a Spanish guide for specialists in Carpentry, thanks to Online Spanish tutors specialized in carpentry in construction.
Carpentry Terms in Spanish
This construction Spanish cheat sheet covers vocabulary focused on carpentry terms in Spanish. We have categorized these construction terms in the following categories:
- Tools (Power and Manual) & Equipment
- Clothing & Safety
- Supplies/Materials
- Types of Wood in Spanish
- Areas of the job site
- Carpentry Verbs
- Measurements and Fractions
- Clean Up
- Common phrases/words
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Tools (Power and Manual) & Equipment
The professional (in any area) can go as far as his tools allow him to go, and if we are talking about carpentry, maybe for a simple repair at home you can get by with a couple of them, but you will need more to get the best results. Shall we see the most common tools, manual and power, and how should you name them in English?
| Spanish | English |
|---|---|
| Caja de herramientas | Toolbox |
| Tijera | Scissors |
| Escalera | Ladder |
| Banco de trabajo | Workbench |
| Caballete de carpintero | Saw Horse |
| Organizador para herramientas de pared | Tool Storage System |
| Lápiz de carpintero | Carpenter pencil |
| Tiza | Chalk |
| Martillo de carpintero / de orejas | Claw Hammer |
| Cinta métrica / flexómetro | Tape Measure |
| Cúter | Utility knife |
| Higrómetro | Moisture Meter |
| Cincel / formón | Chisel |
| Nivel | Level |
| Lija | Sandpaper / glasspaper |
| Destornillador | Screwdriver |
| Llave inglesa | Wrench |
| Alicate / pinza | Pliers |
| Botador | Nail Set |
| Escuadra / bisel deslizante | Sliding Bevel |
| Cepillo carpintero | Hand Plane |
| Calibre / calibrador | Caliper |
| Compás | Compass |
| Abrazadera / mordaza / sargento | Clamp |
| Serrucho | Hand Saw |
| Tabla de plumas / peine de sujeción | Feather Board |
| Amoladora de banco | Bench Grinder |
| Sierra circular | Circular Saw |
| Taladro eléctrico / mecánico | Power Drill |
| Sierra sable | Sabre Saw |
| Lijadora (de palma) | Palm Sander |
| Sierra de mesa | Table Saw |
| Sierra Ingleteadora / de ángulo compuesto | Compound Miter Saw |
| Fresadora | Router |
| Sierra de cinta / serrucho de banda | Band Saw |
| Pistola de clavos | Nailgun |
Clothing & Safety
Working in carpentry can involve multiple risks, some as small as paint stains or excess sawdust; others of greater magnitude, which will make you have a really hard time. Both can be avoided by wearing the right clothing and using all the equipment to protect your safety, let’s get to know them!
| Spanish | English |
|---|---|
| Guantes | Gloves |
| Casco | Helmet |
| Gafas de seguridad | Safety glasses |
| Tapones / orejeras / cascos | Earplugs / earmuffs |
| Respirador / mascarilla | Respirator / mask |
| Zapatos de seguridad | Safety boots |
| Overol / buzo / mono de trabajo | Overalls / coveralls |
| Cinturón para herramientas | Tool Belt |
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Supplies/Materials
Now that you are dressed for the occasion and have all the necessary tools and equipment, perhaps one of the most important things is missing: what you will be working with! From the raw material to the final finishes, you will need all of this if you want to deliver the best work with the best quality.
| Spanish | English |
|---|---|
| Madera | Wood |
| Barniz | Varnish |
| Pintura | Paint |
| Tinte | Wood Dye |
| Sellador | Wood Sealer |
| Solvente | Solvent |
| Diluyente | Thinner |
| Cera | Wax |
| Aceite para madera | Wood oil |
| Pega / encolado | Glue |
| Pega amarilla / cemento de contacto | Contact cement |
| Laca | Lacquer |
| Clavos | Nails |
| Tornillos | Screws |
| Bisagra | Hinge |
| Molduras | Moulding |
| Tapacantos / Banda de cantos | Edgeband |
| Madera fenólica | Phenolic board |
| Madera laminada / compensada | Laminated wood |
| Placa OSB | OSB |
| Tablero conglomerado | Chipboard |
| Lámina de fórmica | Laminate Sheets |
Types of Wood in Spanish
Wood is a material with which carpenters are quite familiar, since it is the basis of almost all their projects. There are two main groups into which they are classified: hardwoods and softwoods. Do you know the names of the woods you work with?
| Spanish | English |
|---|---|
| Abeto | Fir |
| Cedro | Cedar |
| Pino | Pine |
| Secuoya | Redwood |
| Fresno | Ash |
| Abedul | Birch |
| Cerezo | Cherry |
| Caoba | Mahogany |
| Arce | Maple |
| Roble | Oak |
| Álamo | Poplar |
| Teca | Teak |
| Nogal | Walnut |
| Acacia | Acacia |
| Haya | Beech |
| Ébano | Ebony |
| Madera tratada a presión | Pressure treated |
| Madera controlada FSC | FSC-certified lumber |
Areas of the Job Site
The perfect workplace will depend on the carpenter, there are many and varied ways to arrange it, and whether you have a small or larger one, these are the most essential areas you should have, can you think of any other that you don’t see here? We can answer your doubts!
| Spanish | English |
|---|---|
| Área de banco | Workbench area |
| Área de máquinas | Stationary machine area |
| Área de acabado | Finishing area |
| Almacén de herramientas | Tool storage |
| Almacén para madera | Lumber storage area |
| Mesa de montaje | Assembly Table |
| Armario o percha | Wardrobe or hanger |
| Área para limpieza | Cleaning area |
Carpentry Verbs
No matter what the next piece you need to work on, from a door to a piece of furniture, you’ll need to be able to perform certain actions on the wood. And if you want to have a clear communication with your team or your clients in Spanish, we now show you how to talk about those most common verbs when working.
| Spanish | English |
|---|---|
| Terminar / Acabar | Finish |
| Recortar | Trim |
| Enmarcar | Frame |
| Tallar | Carving |
| Cincelar | Chiseling |
| Cepillar / alisar | Smoothing |
| Moldear | Molding |
| Juntar / Unir | Attach / Join |
| Cubrir | Cover |
| Taladrar | Drilling |
| Martillar | Hammering |
| Atornillar | Screwing |
| Desatornillar / destornillar | Unscrewing |
| Clavar | Nailing |
| Serruchar | Hand sawing |
| Aserrar | Sawing |
| Cortar | Cut |
| Recortar | To snipe |
| Arrancar | Rip |
| Dibujar | Draw |
| Pintar | Painting |
| Calibrar | Calibrating |
| Alinear | Align |
| Nivelar | Leveling |
| Sostener | Hold |
| Estimar | Estimating |
| Medir | Measuring |
| Rellenar | Filling |
| Pegar | Gluing |
| Secar | Drying |
| Barnizar | Varnishing |
| Sellar | Sealing |
Measurements and Fractions
Something important you should know if you don’t already know, is that in Latin America and Spanish-speaking countries we use the decimal metric system (or International System of Units). So you will have to convert from feet and inches to the measures of this system. Here are the main words used to talk about measurements.
| Spanish | English |
|---|---|
| Ángulo | Angle |
| Grados | Degrees |
| Metro | Meter (aprox. 39,37 in / 3,28 ft) |
| Centímetro | Centimeter (aprox. 0.39 in / 0,032 ft) |
| Milímetro | Millimeter (aprox. 0.039 in / 0,0032 ft) |
| Medio | Half (adjective) |
| Mitad | Half (noun) |
| Un cuarto | 1 by 4 (1/4) |
| Un octavo | 1 by 8 (1/8) |
| Un décimo / una décima | 1 by 10 (1/10) |
| Tres cuartos | 3 by 4 (3/4) |
| Pulgada | Inch |
| Pies | Feet |
| Pie | Foot (approximately 12 inches) |
| Yarda | Yard (approximately 3 feet) |
| Milla | Mile (approximately 5,280 feet or 1,760 yards) |
| Onza | Ounce |
| Libra | Pound |
| Peck | Peck (a unit of dry volume) |
| Bushel | Bushel (a unit of dry volume) |
| Acre | Acre (a unit of land area) |
Note: in fractions the first number is read as a cardinal number (uno, dos, tres, etc.), while the second number is read as an ordinal number (primero, segundo, tercero, etc.). Additionally, if the first number is equal to 1 the fraction is read in singular and if it is greater than 1 the fraction is read in plural.
Clean Up
Carpentry, like other construction-related trades, can generate a lot of waste and mess, and if there’s one thing every professional knows, it’s that a messy work area can be the worst. If you need to clean up, you need to know a little extra Spanish vocabulary too, here we go!
| Spanish | English |
|---|---|
| Escoba | Broom |
| Cepillo de mesa / banco | Bench brush |
| Aspiradoras en seco y húmedo | Wet Dry Vac |
| Soplador de hojas | Leaf Blower |
| Compresor de aire | Air compressor |
| Desengrasante | Degreaser |
| Paño / trapo | Cloth |
| Toallas de papel | Paper towels |
| Máscara antipolvo | Dust mask |
Common Phrases/Words
Finally, there will be words that you will be hearing on a regular basis if you find yourself in a Hispanic work environment. Some will be technical related, others will be common words applied to safety, and others just phrases that your colleagues will say to you, want to know them?
| Spanish | English |
|---|---|
| La carpintería | Carpentry |
| El carpintero | Carpenter |
| Aserrín | Sawdust |
| Madera verde | Green lumber |
| Madera seca | Kiln Dried lumber |
| Corteza (muerta) | (Dead) Bark |
| Núcleo | Pith |
| Albura | Sapwood |
| Duramen | Heartwood |
| Grano | Grit |
| Contragolpe | Kick Back |
| Plantilla | Template |
| Corte recto | Straight cut |
| Corte radial | Rift Sawn |
| Cortes Paralelos | Flat Sawn |
| Corte transversal | Cross section |
| Corte tangencial | Tangential section |
| Me podrías pasar | Could you pass me |
| Alguien sabe dónde está | Does anyone know where is |
| Cuidado con | Watch out with |
| Peligro | Danger |
There are so many tools in this technologically and advanced world we live in, and you should get a hold of them to improve your language day to day. We hope this blog has helped you learn a little bit about carpentry tools in Spanish and how to communicate with your customers and in the working area!
If you have some spare time and want to keep practicing your Spanish, check these related articles:
– Spanish for Plumbers: Dive into the world of plumbing with our guide on essential Spanish phrases and terminology for plumbers. Whether you’re a plumber working with Spanish-speaking clients or simply interested in broadening your language skills, this resource has you covered.
– Spanish for Electricians: Discover the key electrical terms and vocabulary in Spanish to help you communicate effectively in the field of electricity and electronics. Whether you’re an electrician or just curious about electrical terminology, this guide provides valuable insights.
About the Author:
Specializations: Spanish Tutors on Zoom
Bio: 28-year-old graphic designer and writer with 7 years of experience, passionate about communication in all its aspects as the main tool to forge links. I consider myself a detailed, patient, and empathetic person, so even if you consider yourself a difficult student, I will know how to guide you to reach the level of Spanish you need for whatever activity you have in mind. As a student of Literature, I always had the same love for books and their stories, as well as for the Spanish language and its formation. I believe that the best way to learn is to be passionate about what you are learning and that is what I always want to achieve with my students. I have worked with children, adolescents, and adults, so I have knowledge about the different learning stages that a person can go through and the different strategies to approach them.
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