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aduana

ah-DWAN-ah/aˈðwana/

“aduana” means “customs” in Spanish (government agency or office at borders).

customs

Also: customhouse
NounfB1
A friendly official in a blue uniform checking a traveler's suitcase at a colorful border crossing booth.

📝 In Action

Tuvimos que esperar una hora en la aduana del aeropuerto.

A2

We had to wait an hour at airport customs.

¿Tienes algo que declarar en la aduana?

B1

Do you have anything to declare at customs?

El agente de la aduana revisó cuidadosamente mi pasaporte.

B1

The customs agent carefully checked my passport.

Word Connections

Synonyms

  • fielato (toll house (old-fashioned))

Common Collocations

  • pasar por la aduana – to go through customs
  • agente de aduanas – customs officer
  • declarar en la aduana – to declare at customs
  • aranceles de aduana – customs duties/taxes

Translate to Spanish

Words that translate to "aduana" in Spanish:

customhouse→customs→

✏️ Quick Practice

Quick Quiz: aduana

Question 1 of 3

If you are at an airport and see a sign for 'Aduana', what are you likely doing?

📚 More Resources

👥 Word Family▼
aduanero(related to customs / customs officer) — Adjective / Noun
aduanar(to clear through customs) — Verb
🎵 Rhymes▼
📚 Etymology▼

From the Arabic 'ad-diwan', which meant a register, office, or council. Interestingly, this is the same root that gave us the word 'divan' (a sofa), which originally referred to a long seat in a council chamber.

First recorded: 13th century

Cognates (Related words)

Portuguese: aduanaItalian: doganaFrench: douane

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Frequently Asked Questions

Is 'aduana' the same as 'frontera'?

Not quite. 'La frontera' is the physical border line between two countries. 'La aduana' is the specific office or agency that controls the goods and money crossing that border.

Do I use 'aduana' for passport control?

Technically, 'Control de Pasaportes' or 'Inmigración' is for people, while 'Aduana' is for objects and taxes. However, in many airports, they are located in the same area.

Why is the word so similar to 'diván' (sofa)?

They share an Arabic root meaning 'office' or 'council chamber'. One came to mean the business done there (customs), and the other the furniture found there (a divan/sofa).