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bulto

BOOL-toh/ˈbulto/

package, piece of luggage

Also: bundle
NounmB1
A brown cardboard box tied with a simple piece of twine.

📝 In Action

Solo se permite un bulto de mano en el avión.

A2

Only one carry-on item is allowed on the plane.

Llevaba un bulto pesado sobre sus hombros.

B1

He was carrying a heavy bundle on his shoulders.

Hay varios bultos esperando en la oficina de correos.

B1

There are several packages waiting at the post office.

Word Connections

Synonyms

Common Collocations

  • bulto de equipaje – piece of luggage
  • facturar bultos – to check in bags

Idioms & Expressions

  • hacer bulto – to just be there to fill space or add to the numbers, without contributing much

lump, bulge

Also: bump
NounmB2
A small, rounded bump on a person's forearm.

📝 In Action

Me salió un bulto en la rodilla después de la caída.

B1

A lump appeared on my knee after the fall.

Se nota un bulto bajo la alfombra.

B2

You can see a bulge under the rug.

El médico dice que el bulto no es peligroso.

B2

The doctor says the lump is not dangerous.

Word Connections

Synonyms

  • hinchazón (swelling)
  • protuberancia (bulge)

Antonyms

  • hendidura (indentation)

Common Collocations

  • notar un bulto – to notice a lump
  • bulto sospechoso – suspicious lump

shape, silhouette

Also: bulk
NounmC1
A dark, blurry silhouette of a person standing in a foggy forest.

📝 In Action

Vi un bulto moviéndose en la oscuridad del jardín.

B2

I saw a shape moving in the darkness of the garden.

A lo lejos, solo se distinguía un bulto negro.

C1

In the distance, only a black silhouette could be seen.

Entre la niebla apareció el bulto de un edificio.

C1

The shape of a building appeared through the fog.

Word Connections

Synonyms

Antonyms

Common Collocations

  • un bulto negro – a black shape
  • divisar un bulto – to make out a shape

✏️ Quick Practice

Quick Quiz: bulto

Question 1 of 3

If you are at the airport and have three suitcases, how many 'bultos' do you have?

📚 More Resources

👥 Word Family▼
abultar(to bulge/increase in volume) — Verb
bultito(small lump/package) — Noun
abultado(bulky/swollen) — Adjective
🎵 Rhymes▼
📚 Etymology▼

Derived from the Latin 'vultus', which originally meant 'face' or 'expression'. Over time, the meaning shifted from the 'form' of a face to the 'form' of any physical mass or volume.

First recorded: 13th century

Cognates (Related words)

Italian: voltoPortuguese: vulto

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Frequently Asked Questions

Is 'bulto' ever used for people?

Rarely, and usually in a derogatory or humorous way (like 'hacer bulto') to suggest the person is just a 'mass' taking up space without doing anything.

What is the difference between 'paquete' and 'bulto'?

A 'paquete' is usually wrapped or in a box. A 'bulto' is any physical item being transported, wrapped or not.

Is 'bulto' always masculine?

Yes, even if it refers to a shape that turns out to be a woman, the word 'el bulto' remains masculine.