Inklingo

How to Say "faucet" in Spanish

English → Spanish

grifo

GREE-foˈɡɾifo

nounA2general
Use 'grifo' when referring to the general water fixture, especially in a kitchen or bathroom sink, or when talking about turning the water on or off.
A shiny silver water faucet with a single drop of water falling from the spout.

Examples

Por favor, cierra el grifo cuando te laves los dientes.

Please, turn off the faucet when you brush your teeth.

El grifo de la cocina gotea y hace mucho ruido.

The kitchen tap is dripping and making a lot of noise.

En esta ciudad, el agua del grifo es potable y muy rica.

In this city, the tap water is safe to drink and very tasty.

Opening and Closing

In Spanish, you 'open' (abrir) and 'close' (cerrar) a faucet just like you do with a door or a window.

Describing Tap Water

To say 'tap water,' always use the phrase 'agua del grifo.' Don't say 'agua de grifo' without the 'del'.

Grifo vs. Llave

Mistake: “Using 'llave' for every faucet in Spain.”

Correction: While many Latin American countries use 'llave,' in Spain 'grifo' is the specific word for the water fixture.

llave

ya-behˈʎa.be

nounA2general
Use 'llave' when specifically referring to the tap controlling the flow of water, often emphasizing the act of turning it to prevent waste.
A modern silver kitchen faucet with a stream of clear water pouring into a white sink.

Examples

Cierra la llave del agua para que no se desperdicie.

Turn off the water faucet so it's not wasted.

La llave de la cocina está goteando.

The kitchen faucet is dripping.

Grifo vs. Llave

Learners often confuse 'grifo' and 'llave'. While 'grifo' is the more common and general term for a faucet, 'llave' can also be used and sometimes emphasizes the control aspect of the water tap. When in doubt, 'grifo' is usually a safe bet.

Related Translations

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