How to Say "gears" in Spanish
The most common Spanish word for “gears” is “cambios” — use 'cambios' when referring to the individual gears in a vehicle or bicycle, or the act of shifting between them..
English → Spanish
cambios
/KAHM-byos//ˈkambjos/
nounB2general
Use 'cambios' when referring to the individual gears in a vehicle or bicycle, or the act of shifting between them.
Examples
Este coche automático hace los cambios muy suavemente.
This automatic car shifts gears very smoothly.
Necesito practicar los cambios de marcha en mi bicicleta.
I need to practice the gear shifts on my bicycle.
transmisión
nounB2general
Use 'transmisión' when referring to the entire mechanical system that transmits power from the engine to the wheels.
Examples
Mi coche tiene una transmisión automática, no manual.
My car has an automatic transmission, not a manual one.
Confusing 'cambios' and 'transmisión'
Learners often use 'cambios' when they mean the entire gearbox ('transmisión'). Remember that 'cambios' specifically refers to the individual gears or the act of shifting, while 'transmisión' is the complete system.
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