ruido
/RWE-do/
noise
This image illustrates ruido as unwanted sound or noise.
ruido(noun)
noise
?unwanted sound
loud sound
?physical auditory effect
,racket
?a very loud or annoying noise
📝 In Action
No puedo dormir porque los vecinos hacen mucho ruido.
A1I can't sleep because the neighbors make a lot of noise.
Escuché un ruido extraño en la cocina anoche.
A2I heard a strange sound in the kitchen last night.
Baja la música, por favor. Hay demasiado ruido aquí.
A1Turn down the music, please. There is too much noise here.
💡 Grammar Points
Masculine Noun
Remember that 'ruido' is always masculine, so it always uses 'el' (el ruido) and requires masculine adjectives (un ruido fuerte).
❌ Common Pitfalls
Using 'tener' instead of 'haber'
Mistake: "La calle tiene mucho ruido."
Correction: Hay mucho ruido en la calle. (You use 'hay' to say that noise exists in a place, not 'tener' which means 'to have'.)
⭐ Usage Tips
The most common action
The standard way to say someone or something is generating sound is 'hacer ruido' ('to make noise').
Here, ruido is used to mean a public fuss or controversy.
ruido(noun)
fuss
?public uproar or controversy
,commotion
?a scene of noisy confusion
publicity
?media attention (informal)
📝 In Action
El nuevo proyecto del gobierno causó mucho ruido en la prensa.
B1The government's new project caused a lot of fuss in the press.
No hagas ruido por algo tan pequeño.
B2Don't make a fuss over something so small.
Su renuncia fue un ruido mediático que duró una semana.
C1His resignation was a media uproar that lasted one week.
💡 Grammar Points
Figurative Use
In this context, 'ruido' is often used with words like 'político' or 'mediático' to mean general disturbance or drama, not necessarily actual loud sounds.
⭐ Usage Tips
Avoiding 'drama'
You can tell someone to stop causing trouble by saying '¡No más ruido!' (No more fuss!).
✏️ Quick Practice
💡 Quick Quiz: ruido
Question 1 of 2
Which sentence correctly uses 'ruido' in its most common A1 context?
📚 More Resources
Frequently Asked Questions
¿Cuál es la diferencia entre 'ruido' y 'sonido'?
Both mean 'sound,' but 'ruido' specifically refers to unwanted, unpleasant, or loud noise (like traffic or shouting). 'Sonido' is the neutral term for any auditory sensation (like the sound of a guitar or a soft voice).
How do I complain about noise pollution using this word?
A very common phrase is 'Hay mucho ruido' (There is a lot of noise) or, if you want someone to stop, '¡Dejen de hacer ruido!' (Stop making noise!).