Inklingo

How to Say "blank" in Spanish

The most common Spanish word for “blank” is “blanco” — use 'blanco' as an adjective when describing something that is empty or unmarked, like a page, a screen, or a color.

English → Spanish

blanco

BLAHN-koˈblaŋko

adjectiveA1general
Use 'blanco' as an adjective when describing something that is empty or unmarked, like a page, a screen, or a color.
A fluffy white sheep standing in a green field under a blue sky, illustrating the color white.

Examples

La página está en blanco.

The page is blank.

Mi camisa favorita es blanca.

My favorite shirt is white.

Las nubes son blancas y esponjosas.

The clouds are white and fluffy.

Se puso blanco del susto.

He turned pale with fright.

Making Adjectives Agree

'Blanco' is a describing word, so it changes to match the thing it describes. If the thing is feminine, use 'blanca'. If it's plural, add an 's': 'blancos' or 'blancas'. For example: el coche blanco (the white car), la casa blanca (the white house), los coches blancos (the white cars).

Forgetting to Match

Mistake: “La pared es blanco.”

Correction: Say 'La pared es blanca.' because 'pared' (wall) is a feminine word, so the describing word needs to match it.

espacio

es-PA-syoesˈpa.sjo

nounA2general
Use 'espacio' to refer to an empty space or field that is specifically meant to be filled in, often on a form or document.
A sheet of white paper lying on a wooden desk with a large, empty rectangular section clearly marked as a blank space.

Examples

Deja un espacio para tu firma.

Leave a blank for your signature.

Escribe tu nombre en el espacio en blanco.

Write your name in the blank space.

Deja un espacio de dos centímetros en el margen.

Leave a two-centimeter space in the margin.

blanco

BLAHN-koˈblaŋko

nounB1general
Use 'blanco' as a noun to represent an empty space or a gap on a form that needs to be filled with information.
A fluffy white sheep standing in a green field under a blue sky, illustrating the color white.

Examples

Rellena el blanco con tu apellido.

Fill in the blank with your last name.

Mi camisa favorita es blanca.

My favorite shirt is white.

Las nubes son blancas y esponjosas.

The clouds are white and fluffy.

Se puso blanco del susto.

He turned pale with fright.

Making Adjectives Agree

'Blanco' is a describing word, so it changes to match the thing it describes. If the thing is feminine, use 'blanca'. If it's plural, add an 's': 'blancos' or 'blancas'. For example: el coche blanco (the white car), la casa blanca (the white house), los coches blancos (the white cars).

Forgetting to Match

Mistake: “La pared es blanco.”

Correction: Say 'La pared es blanca.' because 'pared' (wall) is a feminine word, so the describing word needs to match it.

virgen

BEE-rhen'biɾxen

adjectiveB1general
Use 'virgen' to describe a surface that is untouched, pristine, or unused, like a new notebook or an undeveloped area.
A perfectly still, clear blue lake reflecting a snow-capped mountain peak and dense green forest, representing untouched nature.

Examples

Compró un cuaderno de hojas vírgenes.

He bought a notebook with blank pages.

Exploramos una selva virgen donde nunca había estado nadie.

We explored a pristine jungle where no one had ever been.

El disco duro está virgen, no tiene archivos.

The hard drive is blank; it has no files.

Agreement

As an adjective, 'virgen' must match the noun it describes in number and gender: 'una playa virgen' (a pristine beach) or 'territorios vírgenes' (pristine territories).

bloqueado

blo-kay-AH-thoblo.keˈa.ðo

adjectiveB1informal
Use 'bloqueado' when your mind suddenly stops working or you can't recall information, often during a stressful situation like an exam.
A person sitting at a desk with a blank expression, looking at a single empty piece of paper with a pencil in hand.

Examples

Me quedé bloqueado y no pude responder.

I went blank and couldn't answer.

Me quedé bloqueado en el examen y no recordaba nada.

My mind went blank during the exam and I didn't remember anything.

El escritor se siente bloqueado y no puede terminar su novela.

The writer feels stuck and cannot finish his novel.

The verb 'quedarse'

We often use 'quedarse' (to stay/become) with bloqueado to describe the moment your mind suddenly stops working.

laguna

lah-GOO-nahlaˈɡuna

nounB2general
Use 'laguna' to refer to a specific gap or lapse in memory, indicating you've forgotten a piece of information.
A colorful wooden bridge with a clear missing section in the center, showing a gap.

Examples

Tuve una laguna mental y olvidé su nombre.

I had a mental blank and forgot his name.

Tengo una laguna mental y no recuerdo su nombre.

I have a mental blank and don't remember his name.

El abogado encontró una laguna legal en el contrato.

The lawyer found a legal loophole in the contract.

Hay lagunas importantes en su educación.

There are significant gaps in his education.

Abstract Use

Even though it's the same word as the body of water, it functions abstractly to show that a piece of information is 'missing' like a hole in a surface.

Plural Use

Using the plural 'lagunas' often implies a general lack of preparation or knowledge in a subject.

Not just for water

Mistake: “Thinking 'laguna' only refers to nature.”

Correction: Remember that if someone says they have a 'laguna', they likely forgot something, not that they own a lake!

Choosing between 'espacio' and 'blanco'

Learners often confuse 'espacio' and 'blanco' when referring to empty fields on forms. Use 'espacio' for the general concept of an empty space to be filled, and 'blanco' (as a noun) specifically for the blank line or box itself that requires writing.

Related Translations

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