Inklingo

How to Say "junk" in Spanish

The most common Spanish word for “junk” is “basura” — use 'basura' to refer to something of very poor quality, like a bad movie or a poorly made product, often implying it's not worth consuming or experiencing..

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basura

/ba-SOO-ra//baˈsuɾa/

nounB1general
Use 'basura' to refer to something of very poor quality, like a bad movie or a poorly made product, often implying it's not worth consuming or experiencing.
A pile of broken, low-quality electronic junk, including a cracked plastic toy and tangled wires, symbolizing poor quality items.

Examples

Esta película es basura, no pierdas tu tiempo.

This movie is rubbish, don't waste your time.

No compres ese teléfono, es pura basura.

Don't buy that phone, it's pure junk.

Ese hombre es una basura, trata muy mal a la gente.

That man is scum, he treats people very badly.

Describing People and Things

To say something or someone 'is trash', you use the structure 'ser una basura'. For example, 'El programa es una basura' (The show is trash).

Using 'Estar' instead of 'Ser'

Mistake: “Él está una basura.”

Correction: Él es una basura. Use 'ser' because you're describing someone's character or the essential quality of a thing, not a temporary state.

chatarra

/cha-TAH-rrah//tʃaˈta.ra/

nounB1general
Choose 'chatarra' specifically for discarded, broken, or scrap metal objects, like old cars or machinery, that are typically sold for their material value.
A pile of rusted iron pipes, gears, and metal sheets in a recycling yard.

Examples

Vendimos el coche viejo como chatarra.

We sold the old car as scrap metal.

El patio estaba lleno de chatarra acumulada.

The yard was full of accumulated junk.

Using 'Chatarra' as a Group Word

This word often acts like 'water' or 'luggage'—it describes a collection of things as one single mass. You usually say 'la chatarra' (the junk) even if there are many pieces of metal.

Chatarra vs. Basura

Mistake: “Using 'chatarra' for kitchen waste or paper.”

Correction: Use 'basura' for general trash. 'Chatarra' specifically refers to metal or mechanical items that are now useless.

porquería

nounB2informal
Use 'porquería' to describe an object that is of extremely low quality, useless, or poorly made, often expressing strong dissatisfaction or disgust.

Examples

No compres ese teléfono, es una porquería.

Don't buy that phone, it's a piece of junk.

madres

MA-dres/ˈma.ðɾes/

nounB2informal
Employ 'madres' informally to refer to a collection of miscellaneous, often unwanted or messy, items or clutter that need to be removed.
A random, disorganized pile of miscellaneous generic objects, including a red ball, a blue book, and a yellow block, symbolizing 'stuff'.

Examples

Quita esas madres de mi escritorio, por favor.

Take that stuff off my desk, please.

¿Qué madres estás haciendo aquí?

What the heck are you doing here?

No sé cómo funciona esta madre.

I don't know how this thing works. (Note: often used in singular 'madre' for 'thing')

Generic Placeholder

In Mexico, 'madres' (or the singular 'madre') often replaces words like 'cosa' (thing) or 'asunto' (matter) when speaking very casually.

Basura vs. Porquería

Learners often confuse 'basura' and 'porquería' because both can describe low-quality items. Remember that 'basura' is often used for consumable things like media or food, while 'porquería' is more commonly applied to tangible objects you own or might buy.

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