Inklingo
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jabón

/hah-BOHN/

soap

A simple rectangular bar of yellow soap resting on a blue ceramic soap dish with visible white bubbles.

The primary meaning of jabón is 'soap', used for cleansing.

jabón(noun)

mA1

soap

?

cleansing agent

Also:

detergent

?

liquid or powder soap for dishes/laundry (often specified by type, but sometimes used generally)

📝 In Action

Por favor, pásame la barra de jabón.

A1

Please pass me the bar of soap.

El jabón líquido es mejor para las manos sensibles.

A2

Liquid soap is better for sensitive hands.

Se me acabó el jabón para lavar la ropa.

A2

I ran out of laundry detergent (soap for washing clothes).

Word Connections

Synonyms

  • detergente (detergent)
  • pastilla (bar (of soap))

Common Collocations

  • jabón de manos – hand soap
  • jabón en polvo – powdered soap/detergent
  • hacer espuma – to make foam/lather

💡 Grammar Points

Masculine Noun Rule

Remember to use the masculine article 'el' or 'un' before jabón: 'el jabón' (the soap). Most Spanish nouns that end in '-ón' are masculine.

❌ Common Pitfalls

Gender Confusion

Mistake: "La jabón huele bien."

Correction: El jabón huele bien. (It is masculine, even though it doesn't end in -o.)

⭐ Usage Tips

Types of Soap

To specify the type, use 'jabón de...' (soap of...). For instance, 'jabón de tocador' is bar soap for the body, and 'jabón de lavar' is laundry soap.

An illustration showing an adult figure sternly pointing a finger while a sad child stands looking down, representing a scolding.

In some contexts, jabón slangily refers to a 'scolding' or a harsh telling off.

jabón(noun)

mB2

scolding

?

a harsh telling off

,

reprimand

?

official or formal telling off

📝 In Action

Le dieron un buen jabón por no entregar el informe a tiempo.

B2

They gave him a good scolding for not handing in the report on time.

El entrenador nos echó un jabón después de perder el partido.

C1

The coach gave us a telling off after losing the game.

Word Connections

Synonyms

  • bronca (telling off (very informal))
  • regaño (scolding)

Common Collocations

  • dar un jabón – to give a scolding
  • echar un jabón – to deliver a scolding

💡 Grammar Points

Figurative Meaning

This meaning is an extension of the original idea of 'cleaning up' or 'washing away' bad behavior. It is almost always used with 'dar' or 'echar'.

⭐ Usage Tips

Context is Key

If you hear 'dar un jabón' outside of a bathroom context, it almost certainly means 'to give someone a hard time' or 'a verbal lashing'.

✏️ Quick Practice

💡 Quick Quiz: jabón

Question 1 of 1

Which sentence uses 'jabón' in its figurative, informal meaning?

📚 More Resources

Word Family

jabonera(soap dish) - noun
enjabonar(to soap up / to lather) - verb
jabonoso(soapy) - adjective

Frequently Asked Questions

Is 'jabón' masculine or feminine?

Jabón is a masculine noun, so you use 'el jabón' or 'un jabón'. Even though it ends in -ón, it follows the common rule for nouns ending in -ón being masculine.

How do I specify hand soap versus body soap?

While 'jabón' works for both, you can specify: 'jabón de manos' for hand soap, and 'jabón corporal' or 'jabón de tocador' for body soap.