How to Say "drum" in Spanish
The most common Spanish word for “drum” is “tambor” — use 'tambor' when referring to a musical instrument that is struck, or a mechanical component like the drum of a washing machine or brake system.
tambor
tam-BORtamˈboɾ
Examples
El músico golpeaba el tambor con ritmo.
The musician beat the drum with rhythm.
El niño toca el tambor en la escuela.
The boy plays the drum at school.
Escuchamos el sonido de los tambores a lo lejos.
We heard the sound of the drums in the distance.
El primer tambor de la banda marcó el paso de la marcha.
The band's lead drummer set the pace for the march.
Playing an Instrument
In Spanish, we use the verb 'tocar' (to touch/play) for musical instruments like 'tambor,' never 'jugar' (to play a game).
Making it Plural
Since 'tambor' ends in a consonant, you add '-es' to make it plural: 'los tambores'.
Describing Parts
When talking about machines, 'tambor' follows the noun it belongs to using 'de': 'el tambor de la lavadora'.
Drum vs. Drum Set
Mistake: “Quiero tocar el tambor en una banda de rock.”
Correction: Quiero tocar la batería en una banda de rock.
caja
KA-haˈkaxa
Examples
La caja de cambios falló y el coche no avanzaba.
The gearbox failed and the car wouldn't move.
El mecánico tuvo que reparar la caja de cambios del coche.
The mechanic had to repair the car's gearbox.
El baterista tocaba la caja con mucha energía.
The drummer played the snare drum with a lot of energy.
La radiografía mostró una fractura en su caja torácica.
The x-ray showed a fracture in his rib cage.
cilindro
see-LEEN-drohθiˈlindo
Examples
El niño dibujó un cilindro perfecto en la arena.
The child drew a perfect cylinder in the sand.
Dibuja un cilindro en tu cuaderno.
Draw a cylinder in your notebook.
La base de la columna tiene forma de cilindro.
The base of the column is shaped like a cylinder.
El rodillo es un cilindro de metal muy pesado.
The roller is a very heavy metal cylinder.
Always Masculine
Even though it ends in 'o', it's helpful to remember it always uses masculine articles: 'el cilindro' or 'un cilindro'.
Cilindro vs. Cilindrada
Mistake: “Me gusta la cilindro de este coche.”
Correction: Me gusta la cilindrada de este coche. Use 'cilindrada' for engine capacity, and 'cilindro' for the physical part.
Tambor vs. Caja for Mechanical Parts
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