Inklingo
← Dictionary

cables

kah-bles/ˈkaβles/

cables, wires

Also: cords, leads
NounmA1
A close-up of several thick, brightly colored electrical cables bundled together, including red, blue, and yellow wires.

📝 In Action

Todos los cables de la televisión están detrás del mueble.

A1

All the television cables are behind the furniture.

Necesitas cables de arranque para encender el coche.

A2

You need jumper cables (starting cables) to start the car.

El técnico dijo que un par de cables estaban mal conectados.

B1

The technician said a couple of wires were badly connected.

Word Connections

Synonyms

  • alambres (wires (thin metal))
  • cordones (cords (thicker))

Common Collocations

  • cables de red – network cables
  • cables USB – USB cables
  • cables pelados – bare/stripped wires

mental wiring

Also: mental connections
NounmB2informal
Spain
A simple, side profile silhouette of a human head. Inside the head, bright, colorful, and neatly organized electrical wires are visible, illustrating mental clarity.

📝 In Action

Creo que a Pedro se le han cruzado los cables; está actuando muy raro.

B2

I think Pedro has snapped/lost it; he's acting very strange.

Cuando me estreso mucho, siento que tengo los cables pelados.

C1

When I get very stressed, I feel like I'm on edge/my wires are exposed (highly irritable).

Word Connections

Synonyms

Idioms & Expressions

  • cruzarse los cables (a alguien) – To go crazy, to snap, to lose one's train of thought suddenly.
  • tener los cables pelados – To be extremely nervous, irritable, or on the verge of a breakdown.

Translate to Spanish

✏️ Quick Practice

Quick Quiz: cables

Question 1 of 2

Which meaning of 'cables' is used in the phrase 'A mi vecina se le cruzaron los cables'?

📚 More Resources

👥 Word Family▼
cable(cable, wire (singular)) — Noun
cablear(to wire, to cable) — Verb
cableado(wiring, cabling) — Noun
🎵 Rhymes▼
establesamables
📚 Etymology▼

The word 'cable' comes from the Old North French word 'cable,' which itself derives from the Latin 'capulum,' meaning 'a rope, a halter.' It originally referred to thick ropes used on ships before evolving to mean electrical or communication wires.

First recorded: 15th century (as 'cable' in Spanish)

Cognates (Related words)

French: câbleEnglish: cable

💡 Master Spanish

Take your Spanish to the next level. Read 200+ illustrated and narrated Spanish stories tailored to your level with the Inklingo app!

Frequently Asked Questions

Is 'cable' pronounced the same as in English?

No. In Spanish, the 'c' before 'a' is a hard 'k' sound, and the 'b' is often softer, closer to a 'v' sound between vowels. The stress falls on the first syllable: KAH-bles.

How do I say 'cable TV' in Spanish?

You would typically say 'televisión por cable' or simply 'el cable'.