Inklingo

How to Say "boot" in Spanish

English → Spanish

bota

/BOH-tah//ˈbota/

nounA1general
Use 'bota' when referring to a type of footwear that covers the foot and extends up the leg.
A single brown leather boot standing upright against a plain background.

Examples

Me compré unas botas de cuero muy cómodas.

I bought myself some very comfortable leather boots.

Necesito comprar unas botas nuevas para el invierno.

I need to buy some new boots for the winter.

El pastor bebió un poco de vino de su bota.

The shepherd drank some wine from his wineskin.

Me puse las botas de agua porque estaba lloviendo mucho.

I put on my rain boots because it was raining a lot.

Always Feminine

Even though it ends in 'a', it's important to remember that 'bota' is always feminine, so use 'la bota' or 'las botas'.

Specific Footwear

In Spanish, 'bota' is used specifically for shoes that cover the ankle. For general shoes, use 'zapatos'.

Bota vs. Vota

Mistake: “Escribir 'vota' cuando hablas de zapatos.”

Correction: Use 'bota' for shoes. 'Vota' (with a V) is only for when someone casts a vote in an election.

maletero

/mah-leh-teh-roh//maleˈteɾo/

nounA2informal
Use 'maletero' to refer to the trunk or boot of a car, particularly common in British English contexts.
The open storage area at the back of a blue car.

Examples

El equipaje está en el maletero del coche.

The luggage is in the car's trunk.

Pon las bolsas de la compra en el maletero.

Put the shopping bags in the trunk.

El maletero de este coche es muy pequeño para tantas maletas.

The trunk of this car is too small for so many suitcases.

No puedo cerrar el maletero porque está demasiado lleno.

I can't close the boot because it's too full.

Always Masculine

Even though it refers to a space that holds 'maletas' (feminine), the word 'maletero' is always masculine.

Using 'en' with Maletero

To say something is 'in the trunk', simply use the preposition 'en' followed by 'el maletero'.

Don't use 'maleta' for the car part

Mistake: “Puse las llaves en la maleta del coche.”

Correction: Puse las llaves en el maletero del coche. A 'maleta' is a suitcase; a 'maletero' is the car's storage space.

baúl

nounB1general
Use 'baúl' for the trunk or boot of a car, often used in a more general or slightly older British English sense.

Examples

Guarda la rueda de repuesto en el baúl.

Store the spare tire in the trunk.

Footwear vs. Car Storage

The most frequent error learners make is using 'bota' when they mean the car's trunk. Remember, 'bota' is exclusively for footwear; 'maletero' and 'baúl' are the correct terms for a car's storage area.

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