Inklingo

How to Say "axle" in Spanish

The most common Spanish word for “axle” is “eje” — use 'eje' when referring to the axle of a vehicle that supports the wheels, or metaphorically for an axis of rotation, like the Earth's axis..

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eje

/EH-heh//ˈexe/

nounB1general
Use 'eje' when referring to the axle of a vehicle that supports the wheels, or metaphorically for an axis of rotation, like the Earth's axis.
A colorful illustration of the Earth with a glowing line running through its center from top to bottom, showing its rotation.

Examples

El coche necesita un nuevo eje trasero.

The car needs a new rear axle.

La Tierra gira sobre su propio eje.

The Earth rotates on its own axis.

El mecánico tuvo que cambiar el eje delantero del coche.

The mechanic had to change the front axle of the car.

En matemáticas, el eje horizontal se llama eje X.

In mathematics, the horizontal axis is called the X-axis.

Always Masculine

Even though it ends in 'e', this word is always masculine. You say 'el eje' and 'los ejes'.

Plural Form

To make it plural, just add an 's' at the end: 'los ejes'.

Confusing Gender

Mistake: “La eje está roto.”

Correction: El eje está roto. (Words ending in -e are often masculine in Spanish, especially mechanical ones.)

árbol

nounB2technical
Use 'árbol' for a rotating rod or shaft within a machine, such as the camshaft ('árbol de levas') or driveshaft.

Examples

El mecánico revisó el árbol de transmisión.

The mechanic checked the drive shaft.

Eje vs. Árbol

Learners often confuse 'eje' and 'árbol' because both can refer to a shaft. Remember that 'eje' is the common term for a vehicle's axle and also for an axis of rotation, while 'árbol' is typically used for specific rotating parts within machinery.

Related Translations

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