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aparato

ah-pah-RAH-toha.paˈɾa.to

device, appliance

Also: gadget, machine
NounmA1
A vibrant, handheld electronic gadget featuring a large circular button and a small screen, designed in a simple, storybook style.

📝 In Action

Necesito cargar el aparato antes de salir.

A1

I need to charge the device before leaving.

Compramos un aparato nuevo para hacer café.

A2

We bought a new appliance to make coffee.

¿Sabes cómo funciona este pequeño aparato?

A2

Do you know how this small gadget works?

Word Connections

Synonyms

Common Collocations

  • aparato electrónico – electronic device
  • aparato dental – dental braces/appliance

system, apparatus

Also: mechanism
NounmB1 formal
A simplistic illustration showing three large, brightly colored gears interlocking and moving together, representing a functional system.

📝 In Action

El médico estudió el aparato respiratorio del paciente.

B1

The doctor studied the patient's respiratory system.

La burocracia es parte del aparato administrativo del gobierno.

B2

Bureaucracy is part of the government's administrative apparatus.

El aparato de la cámara es muy complejo.

B2

The camera's mechanism (internal workings) is very complex.

Word Connections

Synonyms

Common Collocations

  • aparato circulatorio – circulatory system
  • aparato judicial – judicial system

show, fuss

Also: pomp, display
NounmC1 informal
Spain
A brightly lit stage with a drawn-back curtain, featuring a simple burst of vibrant, celebratory confetti falling from the ceiling, depicting a spectacle.

📝 In Action

Montaron un gran aparato para la visita del presidente.

C1

They put on a big show (or display of resources) for the president's visit.

No me gusta el aparato que hace cuando tiene que hablar en público.

C1

I don't like the fuss/show he makes when he has to speak in public.

Word Connections

Synonyms

Common Collocations

  • montar un aparato – to put on a show/make a fuss

Translate to Spanish

✏️ Quick Practice

Quick Quiz: aparato

Question 1 of 1

Which sentence uses 'aparato' to refer to a biological structure, not a machine?

📚 More Resources

👥 Word Family▼
aparatoso(showy, elaborate, bulky) — Adjective
aparatejo(clumsy/cheap gadget (diminutive)) — Noun
🎵 Rhymes▼
📚 Etymology▼

The word comes from the Latin *apparātus*, which meant 'preparation' or 'equipment.' This origin explains why it refers both to physical machines (equipment) and complex organizations (a prepared structure).

First recorded: Medieval Latin period

Cognates (Related words)

Italian: apparatoPortuguese: aparato

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Frequently Asked Questions

If 'aparato' ends in 'o', why does its related adjective 'aparatoso' end in 'o' and 'a'?

'Aparato' is a noun and has a fixed gender (masculine). 'Aparatoso' is an adjective and must change its ending to match the person or thing it describes: 'un accidente aparatoso' (a spectacular accident) but 'una caída aparatosa' (a spectacular fall).