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volante

boh-LAHN-teh/boˈlante/

steering wheel

Also: wheel
NounmA2
A simple black steering wheel with spokes, seen from the driver's perspective inside a vehicle.

📝 In Action

Tienes que agarrar el volante con ambas manos.

A2

You have to grip the steering wheel with both hands.

El airbag está escondido dentro del volante.

B1

The airbag is hidden inside the steering wheel.

Word Connections

Synonyms

  • manubrio (handlebars (for bikes))

Common Collocations

  • al volante – at the wheel / driving
  • volante deportivo – sports steering wheel

flyer

Also: leaflet, handbill
NounmB1
A single, rectangular sheet of paper, suggesting an advertisement or notice, floating gently downwards.

📝 In Action

Me dieron un volante sobre la nueva pizzería.

B1

They gave me a flyer about the new pizzeria.

Hay que diseñar el volante para el evento de la próxima semana.

B2

We need to design the flyer for next week's event.

Word Connections

Synonyms

  • folleto (brochure)
  • prospecto (leaflet, prospectus)

Common Collocations

  • repartir volantes – to hand out flyers

shuttlecock

Also: birdie
NounmB2
A white shuttlecock with a cork base and a crown of white feathers, depicted mid-flight.

📝 In Action

El juego de bádminton comienza con el saque del volante.

B2

The badminton game starts with the serve of the shuttlecock.

Perdimos el volante en el tejado.

B2

We lost the birdie on the roof.

Word Connections

Synonyms

  • gallito (shuttlecock (colloquial))

midfielder

Also: winger
NounmC1
Argentina/Uruguay
A soccer player wearing a bright uniform running across a green soccer field with a ball at their feet, symbolizing a midfielder.

📝 In Action

El entrenador necesita un volante central más defensivo.

C1

The coach needs a more defensive central midfielder.

Nuestro mejor volante fue transferido al equipo rival.

C1

Our best midfielder was transferred to the rival team.

Word Connections

Synonyms

  • mediocampista (midfielder)

Common Collocations

  • volante de contención – defensive midfielder
  • volante ofensivo – attacking midfielder

Translate to Spanish

✏️ Quick Practice

Quick Quiz: volante

Question 1 of 2

Which meaning of 'volante' relates to the verb 'volar' (to fly) because it is often tossed or distributed quickly?

📚 More Resources

👥 Word Family▼
volar(to fly) — Verb
vuelo(flight) — Noun
volante(flying/mobile (adjective)) — Adjective
🎵 Rhymes▼
📚 Etymology▼

Comes from the verb *volar* (to fly) and originally described anything that moves, turns, or flies quickly. This is why it applies to things that spin (like a wheel) and things that are thrown (like a flyer or a shuttlecock).

First recorded: 15th century

Cognates (Related words)

Italian: volanteFrench: volant

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Frequently Asked Questions

How do I know if 'volante' means steering wheel or flyer?

Context is everything! If the conversation is about driving, cars, or controlling a vehicle, it's the steering wheel. If the conversation is about advertising, events, or street promotions, it's a flyer.

Is 'volante' used for anything else that spins or flies?

Yes, it can also refer to a 'flywheel' (a machine part that regulates speed by spinning) or a 'shuttlecock' in the sport of badminton, keeping the core idea of rotation or quick movement.