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cepillo

seh-PEE-yoh/seˈpi.ʝo/

brush

Also: toothbrush, hairbrush, clothes brush
NounmA1
A simple wooden hairbrush with white bristles, designed for grooming.

📝 In Action

Perdí mi cepillo de dientes en el viaje.

A1

I lost my toothbrush on the trip.

Pásale el cepillo a ese abrigo para quitarle las pelusas.

A2

Brush that coat to remove the lint.

Siempre llevo un cepillo pequeño en mi bolso.

A1

I always carry a small brush in my purse.

Word Connections

Common Collocations

  • cepillo de dientes – toothbrush
  • cepillo para el pelo – hairbrush
  • cepillo de ropa – clothes brush

plane

Also: hand plane
NounmB1
A classic metal and wood hand plane, a tool used for smoothing wood surfaces.

📝 In Action

El carpintero usó el cepillo para dejar la tabla perfectamente lisa.

B1

The carpenter used the plane to leave the board perfectly smooth.

Necesitamos afilar la cuchilla del cepillo.

B2

We need to sharpen the blade of the plane.

Word Connections

Common Collocations

  • cepillo de carpintero – carpenter's plane

I brush

VerbA1regular ar
A close-up view of a hand holding a blue toothbrush and actively brushing teeth.
infinitivecepillar
gerundcepillando
past Participlecepillado

📝 In Action

Yo cepillo mi pelo dos veces al día.

A1

I brush my hair twice a day.

¿Qué cepillo yo ahora, la alfombra o el sillón?

A2

What do I brush now, the rug or the armchair?

Word Connections

Synonyms

  • fregar (to scrub (for hard cleaning))

Common Collocations

  • cepillarse los dientes – to brush one's teeth
  • cepillar la ropa – to brush the clothes

🔄 Conjugations

indicative

preterite

él/ella/ustedcepilló
ellos/ellas/ustedescepillaron
vosotroscepillasteis
nosotroscepillamos
yocepillé
túcepillaste

present

él/ella/ustedcepilla
ellos/ellas/ustedescepillan
vosotroscepilláis
nosotroscepillamos
yocepillo
túcepillas

imperfect

él/ella/ustedcepillaba
ellos/ellas/ustedescepillaban
vosotroscepillabais
nosotroscepillábamos
yocepillaba
túcepillabas

subjunctive

present

él/ella/ustedcepille
ellos/ellas/ustedescepillen
vosotroscepilléis
nosotroscepillemos
yocepille
túcepilles

imperfect

él/ella/ustedcepillara/cepillase
ellos/ellas/ustedescepillaran/cepillasen
vosotroscepillarais/cepillaseis
nosotroscepilláramos/cepillásemos
yocepillara/cepillase
túcepillaras/cepillases
View All Tenses & Moods →

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✏️ Quick Practice

Quick Quiz: cepillo

Question 1 of 2

Which sentence correctly uses the noun form of 'cepillo'?

📚 More Resources

👥 Word Family▼
cepillar(to brush) — Verb
cepillado(brushed; brushing (noun)) — Adjective / Noun
cepillarse(to brush oneself) — Verb
🎵 Rhymes▼
📚 Etymology▼

The word comes from the verb 'cepillar,' which itself likely evolved from a Latin root related to 'cippus,' meaning a stake or block of wood. It originally referred to the action of smoothing wood (using a plane), and later expanded to mean cleaning or grooming with bristles.

First recorded: 15th century

Cognates (Related words)

Portuguese: escovaCatalan: raspall

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Frequently Asked Questions

How do I know if 'cepillo' means 'brush' or 'I brush'?

If 'cepillo' is used with 'el' or 'un' (El cepillo, Un cepillo), it is the noun (the tool). If it follows 'yo' (Yo cepillo), it is the verb form meaning 'I brush'.

Is 'cepillo' used for electric toothbrushes?

Yes. You would usually say 'cepillo de dientes eléctrico' or sometimes just 'cepillo eléctrico'.