How to Say "scout" in Spanish
The most common Spanish word for “scout” is “explorador” — use 'explorador' when referring to a member of a scouting organization, like the Boy Scouts or Girl Scouts, or someone who explores new territories..
explorador
/ex-plo-rah-DOR//exploraˈðor/
Examples
El explorador llegó al Polo Sur en invierno.
The explorer reached the South Pole in winter.
De pequeño, yo era un explorador muy curioso.
As a kid, I was a very curious scout/explorer.
Los exploradores necesitan un buen mapa y una brújula.
Explorers need a good map and a compass.
The 'Girl' Version
If you are talking about a female explorer, simply change the ending to 'exploradora'.
Describing People
When using this word to describe what someone is, you don't usually need 'un' or 'una' after the word 'ser' (to be). For example: 'Él es explorador' (He is an explorer).
Avoid 'Scouter'
Mistake: “Él es un boy scout.”
Correction: Él es un explorador.
scout
/esk-out//skaut/
Examples
Mi hermano es scout y siempre va de campamento.
My brother is a scout and always goes camping.
Las scouts están vendiendo galletas en la plaza.
The scouts are selling cookies in the square.
El uniforme scout incluye una pañoleta de colores.
The scout uniform includes a colorful neckerchief.
One word, two genders
The word 'scout' doesn't change its ending. Use 'el scout' for a boy and 'la scout' for a girl.
Plural forms
To make it plural, just add an 's' to get 'los scouts' or 'las scouts'.
Avoid adding an 'a'
Mistake: “La scouta.”
Correction: La scout. In Spanish, many borrowed words from English keep the same form for both genders.
Spelling confusion
Mistake: “El escaut.”
Correction: El scout. Although it is pronounced with an 'e' sound at the start, the spelling remains the same as in English.
espía
Examples
El espía logró infiltrarse en la base enemiga.
The spy managed to infiltrate the enemy base.
rastreador
/ras-tre-ah-DOR//ras.tɾe.aˈðoɾ/
Examples
El rastreador de mi teléfono indica que está en la oficina.
My phone's tracker shows that it is in the office.
Los rastreadores de Google encuentran nuevas páginas cada segundo.
Google's crawlers find new pages every second.
Contrataron a un rastreador experto para encontrar al excursionista perdido.
They hired an expert tracker to find the lost hiker.
The '-dor' Suffix
Just like '-er' in English (as in 'worker' or 'tracker'), adding '-dor' to a verb in Spanish turns it into the person or thing that does that action. 'Rastrear' (to track) + 'dor' = 'Rastreador' (tracker).
Gender and Things
When referring to a physical device or a piece of software, 'rastreador' is almost always masculine. If you are talking about a woman who is a tracker, you would use 'rastreadora'.
Confusing the Trail with the Tracker
Mistake: “Busco el rastreador del animal en el suelo.”
Correction: Busco el rastro del animal en el suelo. Why? 'Rastro' is the physical trail or scent left behind; 'rastreador' is the person or device following it.
buscador
/boos-kah-DOR//buskaˈðor/
Examples
Él es un buscador de tesoros.
He is a treasure hunter.
Los buscadores de talentos están en el estadio.
The talent scouts are at the stadium.
Siempre he sido un buscador de la verdad.
I have always been a seeker of the truth.
Gender matching
Even though 'buscador' ends in -dor, if you are talking about a woman searching, you change it to 'buscadora'.
boy
/boy//boi̯/
Examples
Mi primo fue boy scout durante toda su adolescencia.
My cousin was a boy scout throughout his entire adolescence.
Los boy scouts están acampando en la montaña este fin de semana.
The boy scouts are camping on the mountain this weekend.
Él todavía guarda su uniforme de boy.
He still keeps his boy scout uniform.
Shortening the Name
While the full term is 'boy scout', many people simply say 'el boy' or 'el scout' to refer to a single member.
Capitalization
Mistake: “Él es un Boy.”
Correction: Él es un boy.
Scout vs. Explorador
Related Translations
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