How to Say "shack" in Spanish
The most common Spanish word for “shack” is “cabaña” — use 'cabaña' when referring to a cabin, especially one that might be rustic or even dilapidated, often found in natural settings like the mountains.
cabaña
Examples
Alquilamos una cabaña en las montañas para esquiar.
We rented a cabin in the mountains to go skiing.
rancho
rran-chohˈrantʃo
Examples
Construyeron un rancho de paja y barro cerca de la playa.
They built a straw and mud hut near the beach.
El viejo vivía solo en su rancho, lejos del pueblo.
The old man lived alone in his shack, far from the town.
choza
cho-sahˈt͡ʃot͡sa
Examples
El pescador vivía en una pequeña choza cerca de la playa.
The fisherman lived in a small hut near the beach.
Construyeron una choza de paja para refugiarse del sol.
They built a straw shack to take shelter from the sun.
En el cuento, el ermitaño invitó al viajero a su humilde choza.
In the story, the hermit invited the traveler into his humble hut.
Gender of the word
The word 'choza' is feminine, so you always use feminine words with it, like 'la choza' or 'una choza'.
Describing materials
To say what the hut is made of, use 'de' plus the material, like 'choza de madera' (shack of wood).
Choza vs. Cabaña
Mistake: “Using 'choza' for a luxury ski cabin.”
Correction: Use 'cabaña' for a cozy or nice cabin; 'choza' usually implies something very poor or basic.
Choosing between cabaña, rancho, and choza
Related Translations
Learn Spanish with Inklingo
Interactive stories, personalized learning, and more.