aparato
“aparato” means “device” in Spanish. It has 3 different meanings depending on context:
device, applianceAlso: gadget, machine
📝 In Action
Necesito cargar el aparato antes de salir.
A1I need to charge the device before leaving.
Compramos un aparato nuevo para hacer café.
A2We bought a new appliance to make coffee.
¿Sabes cómo funciona este pequeño aparato?
A2Do you know how this small gadget works?
Word Connections
system, apparatusAlso: mechanism
📝 In Action
El médico estudió el aparato respiratorio del paciente.
B1The doctor studied the patient's respiratory system.
La burocracia es parte del aparato administrativo del gobierno.
B2Bureaucracy is part of the government's administrative apparatus.
El aparato de la cámara es muy complejo.
B2The camera's mechanism (internal workings) is very complex.
Word Connections
show, fussAlso: pomp, display
📝 In Action
Montaron un gran aparato para la visita del presidente.
C1They 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.
C1I don't like the fuss/show he makes when he has to speak in public.
Word Connections
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✏️ 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
📚 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)
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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).