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How to Say "junk" in Spanish

The most common Spanish word for “junk” is “basura” — use 'basura' when referring to general trash, garbage, or low-quality content like a bad movie or music.

English → Spanish

basura

ba-SOO-rabaˈsuɾa

nounB1
Use 'basura' when referring to general trash, garbage, or low-quality content like a bad movie or music.
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-rrahtʃaˈta.ra

nounB1
Use 'chatarra' specifically for old, broken, or worthless metal objects, often referring to scrap metal or old vehicles.
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 very poor quality, worthless, or doesn't work well, often implying disgust.

Examples

No compres ese teléfono, es una porquería.

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

madres

MA-dresˈma.ðɾes

nounB2very informal
Use 'madres' informally to refer to a collection of unspecified, worthless, or annoying items 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.

caca

KAH-kahˈkaka

nounB1very informal
Use 'caca' informally and childishly to refer to something completely useless, of very low quality, or like 'crap'.
A broken, dirty, and worn-out wooden toy car with a missing wheel.

Examples

Esta película es una caca.

This movie is crap.

Mi teléfono nuevo es una caca, no funciona bien.

My new phone is junk; it doesn't work well.

Todo lo que venden en esa tienda es una caca.

Everything they sell in that store is trash.

Using 'Una'

When using this word to mean 'crap' or 'garbage', we almost always put 'una' before it: 'Es una caca'.

Confusion with 'Mierda'

Mistake: “Calling something 'caca' in a formal meeting.”

Correction: Use 'de mala calidad' instead. While 'caca' is less offensive than 'mierda', it's still very childish slang.

Distinguishing Trash from Scrap

Learners often confuse 'basura' and 'chatarra'. Remember that 'basura' is general trash or low-quality content, while 'chatarra' specifically refers to old, broken metal objects or scrap. Use 'porquería' or 'caca' for general low-quality items or things that don't work, and 'madres' for a jumble of unwanted stuff.

Related Translations

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