piloto
/pee-LOH-toh/
pilot
A "piloto" (pilot) is the person who operates an aircraft, spacecraft, or ship.
piloto(Noun)
pilot
?aircraft, spacecraft, or ship operator
,aviator
?person who flies aircraft
helmsman
?person steering a ship
📝 In Action
El piloto anunció que el vuelo se retrasaría.
A2The pilot announced that the flight would be delayed.
Mi hermana quiere ser piloto de aviones comerciales.
B1My sister wants to be a commercial airplane pilot.
El barco necesita un piloto para navegar en aguas peligrosas.
B2The ship needs a pilot (local expert) to navigate in dangerous waters.
💡 Grammar Points
Gender Usage Tip
Even when referring to a woman, the word often keeps the 'o' ending: 'la piloto.' However, 'la pilota' is also increasingly accepted, especially in Latin America.
⭐ Usage Tips
Professional Titles
Unlike English, Spanish almost always uses the article ('el' or 'la') before professional titles like 'piloto' when speaking about a specific person.
In motorsports, a "piloto" can refer to a race car driver.
📝 In Action
El joven piloto ganó la carrera de Fórmula 1 por un segundo.
B1The young race car driver won the Formula 1 race by one second.
Ser piloto de rally requiere mucha concentración.
B2Being a rally driver requires a lot of concentration.
⭐ Usage Tips
Context is Key
If you hear 'piloto' and the context is cars or speed, it almost certainly means 'race car driver,' not just someone driving on the street (which is usually 'conductor').
When used as an adjective, "piloto" describes a test or trial version, like a pilot project.
piloto(Adjective)
pilot
?used to describe a test or trial version
,trial
?experimental
model
?prototype
📝 In Action
Vamos a lanzar un proyecto piloto en tres ciudades antes de implementarlo a nivel nacional.
B2We are going to launch a pilot project in three cities before implementing it nationally.
La clase piloto fue un éxito y ahora se ofrecerá a todos los estudiantes.
C1The trial class was a success and will now be offered to all students.
💡 Grammar Points
Always Single Form
When used as an adjective meaning 'trial' or 'test,' 'piloto' usually remains singular and masculine, even if the noun it describes is plural or feminine (e.g., 'ciudades piloto').
A "piloto" can also mean a pilot light, a small indicator light found on appliances.
piloto(Noun)
pilot light
?small indicator light on an appliance
,indicator light
?light showing power or status
📝 In Action
El piloto rojo indica que la máquina está encendida.
B1The red indicator light shows that the machine is on.
Necesito cambiar el piloto de la caldera; se apagó.
B2I need to change the pilot light on the boiler; it went out.
✏️ Quick Practice
💡 Quick Quiz: piloto
Question 1 of 2
¿Cuál de estas oraciones usa 'piloto' en su sentido de 'prueba'?
📚 More Resources
Frequently Asked Questions
¿Cómo se dice 'piloto' cuando se refiere a una mujer?
The most common and traditionally correct way is 'la piloto.' However, many Spanish speakers, especially in Latin America, now use 'la pilota' to clearly indicate the feminine gender, similar to how 'la abogada' is used.
¿Es 'piloto' un verbo?
No, 'piloto' is a noun or an adjective. The verb form meaning 'to fly' or 'to steer' is 'pilotar' (e.g., 'Yo piloto el avión' - I fly the plane).