Inklingo
← Dictionary

buzón

/boo-SOHN/

mailbox

A bright red, traditional American-style mailbox mounted on a wooden post next to a green lawn, with the flag raised and a white envelope slightly sticking out of the slot.

The buzón (mailbox) outside a home, used for receiving physical mail.

buzón(noun)

mA1

mailbox

?

The box outside a home for receiving mail

,

postbox

?

The public box in the street for sending mail

Also:

letter box

?

The slot in a door

📝 In Action

Por favor, revisa el buzón para ver si llegó la factura.

A1

Please check the mailbox to see if the bill arrived.

Tienes que echar la carta en el buzón rojo de la esquina.

A2

You have to drop the letter in the red postbox on the corner.

Word Connections

Synonyms

  • casilla de correo (post office box (P.O. Box))

Common Collocations

  • echar una carta al buzón – to post/mail a letter
  • buzón de correos – public postbox

💡 Grammar Points

Masculine Noun

Remember that 'buzón' is masculine, so you always use 'el' before it: 'el buzón'.

❌ Common Pitfalls

Confusing 'Buzón' and 'Correo'

Mistake: "Usar 'correo' para referirse a la caja física."

Correction: 'Correo' means the mail or the service. 'Buzón' is the physical container. Say: 'El buzón está lleno' (The mailbox is full).

⭐ Usage Tips

Regional Differences

In some regions, especially in Spain, 'buzón' is often used specifically for the public box in the street, while 'el casillero' or 'la caja' might refer to the home mailbox.

A simplified, dark purple silhouette of a smartphone. Inside the phone's shape, a bright yellow, abstract sound wave is contained, symbolizing a recorded message waiting.

The buzón (voicemail) system that holds recorded messages for a user.

buzón(noun)

mB1

voicemail

?

The system that holds recorded messages

,

answering machine

?

The device or system that takes phone messages

Also:

inbox

?

Used figuratively for message storage

📝 In Action

Dejé un mensaje en tu buzón de voz porque no contestaste.

B1

I left a message on your voicemail because you didn't answer.

Mi buzón está lleno, necesito borrar los mensajes antiguos.

B2

My voicemail is full; I need to delete the old messages.

Word Connections

Synonyms

  • contestador (answering machine)

Common Collocations

  • buzón de voz – voicemail
  • dejar un mensaje en el buzón – to leave a message on the voicemail

💡 Grammar Points

Digital Extension

Think of this meaning as a digital extension of the first: it’s still a 'box' where messages are deposited, but now they are voice messages.

❌ Common Pitfalls

Using 'Mailbox' Literally

Mistake: "Traducir 'voicemail' como 'correo de voz' (though sometimes heard, it is less common)."

Correction: The standard phrase is 'buzón de voz' (voice mailbox).

⭐ Usage Tips

Quick Use

When talking about phone systems, you can often just say 'el buzón' and people will understand you mean the voicemail system.

✏️ Quick Practice

💡 Quick Quiz: buzón

Question 1 of 2

Which sentence correctly uses 'buzón' to refer to the digital message system?

📚 More Resources

Frequently Asked Questions

Is 'buzón' only for physical mail?

No. While its original meaning is the physical mailbox or postbox, it is very commonly used today to mean 'voicemail' ('buzón de voz') or even an email inbox, as it refers generally to a message receptacle.

What is the difference between 'buzón' and 'correo'?

'Buzón' is the physical or digital container (the box). 'Correo' means the actual mail, the post office, or the email system itself. Think of 'buzón' as the vessel and 'correo' as the content or service.