ordenador
/or-de-na-DOR/
computer
The most common meaning of ordenador is computer, an electronic device.
📝 In Action
Necesito comprar un ordenador portátil nuevo para la universidad.
A1I need to buy a new laptop computer for university.
Mi ordenador de mesa es muy rápido para editar videos.
B1My desktop computer is very fast for editing videos.
El técnico dijo que el ordenador estaba infectado con un virus.
A2The technician said the computer was infected with a virus.
💡 Grammar Points
Gender Alert
Remember this word is masculine: 'el ordenador'. Even though the synonym 'computadora' is feminine, they refer to the same object.
❌ Common Pitfalls
Regional Confusion
Mistake: "Using 'ordenador' when speaking with most Latin American speakers."
Correction: In most of Latin America, use 'computadora' (f) or 'computador' (m) instead of 'ordenador' to sound more natural.
⭐ Usage Tips
Context Tip
While 'ordenador' is the standard term in Spain, it is universally understood everywhere else in the Spanish-speaking world, even if less commonly used.
In some contexts, ordenador can also refer to an organizer, a person who arranges things.
ordenador(noun)
organizer
?a person who arranges things
arranger
?person or thing that puts things in order
📝 In Action
El director actuó como el ordenador principal del evento.
C1The director acted as the main organizer of the event.
Necesitamos un buen ordenador de datos para el archivo.
C2We need a good data arranger for the archive.
⭐ Usage Tips
Use the Verb Instead
If you mean 'to put things in order,' it is usually clearer to use the verb 'ordenar' or the common noun 'organizador' instead of 'ordenador' in this sense.
✏️ Quick Practice
💡 Quick Quiz: ordenador
Question 1 of 2
Which statement is true about the usage of 'ordenador'?
📚 More Resources
Frequently Asked Questions
¿Es 'ordenador' masculino o femenino?
It is a masculine noun, so you always use 'el' before it: 'el ordenador' (the computer).
¿Por qué se llama 'ordenador' en España y 'computadora' en otros lugares?
The difference is historical. Spain adopted 'ordenador' (from 'to order/arrange') based on the French word 'ordinateur,' emphasizing the machine's function of organizing data. Latin America adopted 'computadora' (from 'to compute/calculate') based on the English word 'computer.'