Inklingo

How to Say "leakage" in Spanish

English → Spanish

fuga

FOO-gah/ˈfu.ɣa/

nounB1general
Use 'fuga' when referring to the general escape or loss of a substance, like water or gas, from a container or system.
A simple metal pipe with a visible crack, showing a strong jet of water spraying out, illustrating a leak.

Examples

Llamamos al fontanero porque había una fuga de agua en el baño.

We called the plumber because there was a water leak in the bathroom.

La fuga de gas era tan pequeña que apenas se podía oler.

The gas leak was so small it could barely be smelled.

El contador registró una fuga eléctrica en la casa.

The meter registered an electrical leakage in the house.

Verbs for Leaks

To describe the action of leaking, use the verb 'escaparse' (to escape/leak out) or 'gotear' (to drip) more often than the less common verb 'fugar'.

False Cognate Alert

Mistake: “Thinking 'fuga' means 'fog' (English).”

Correction: The Spanish word for 'fog' or 'mist' is 'niebla'. Remember 'fuga' means 'escape' or 'leak'.

nounB2general
Use 'pérdidas' when the leakage results in a waste of valuable resources, emphasizing the loss itself rather than the escape of the substance.

Examples

Hay pérdidas de agua en el baño.

There are water losses/leaks in the bathroom.

Fuga vs. Pérdidas

Learners often confuse 'fuga' and 'pérdidas'. While 'fuga' focuses on the escape of a substance, 'pérdidas' emphasizes the resulting waste of resources. Think of 'fuga' as the hole and 'pérdidas' as the money or water that goes through it.

Related Translations

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