How to Say "shell" in Spanish
The most common Spanish word for “shell” is “cáscara” — use 'cáscara' for the hard outer covering of things like eggs, nuts, fruits (like a banana peel), or shellfish.
cáscara
Examples
La gallina puso un huevo con una cáscara muy fina.
The hen laid an egg with a very thin shell.
bomba
BO-mbah (stress on the first syllable)ˈbom.ba
Examples
Los soldados desactivaron una bomba que encontraron en el camino.
The soldiers deactivated a bomb they found on the road.
La policía encontró una bomba escondida debajo del coche.
The police found a bomb hidden under the car.
Desactivaron la bomba justo antes de que explotara.
They deactivated the bomb just before it exploded.
cartucho
kar-TOO-chokaɾˈtut͡ʃo
Examples
El cazador compró nuevos cartuchos para su escopeta.
The hunter bought new shells for his shotgun.
La policía encontró varios cartuchos vacíos en la escena.
The police found several empty cartridges at the scene.
Esta escopeta utiliza cartuchos de calibre doce.
This shotgun uses twelve-gauge shells.
No nos quedan muchos cartuchos, hay que ahorrar munición.
We don't have many cartridges left; we must save ammunition.
Specific context matters
While 'bala' is the projectile that flies, 'cartucho' is the whole unit (casing + powder + bullet) used in the gun.
esqueleto
es-keh-LEH-toheskeˈleto
Examples
El arquitecto diseñó el esqueleto del nuevo rascacielos.
The architect designed the framework (shell) of the new skyscraper.
Ya terminé el esqueleto de mi novela.
I already finished the outline of my novel.
Solo queda el esqueleto metálico del edificio tras el incendio.
Only the metal framework of the building remains after the fire.
Necesitamos un esqueleto sólido para este proyecto de negocio.
We need a solid framework for this business project.
Metaphorical use
Just like in English, you can use 'skeleton' to describe the most basic parts of something that holds the rest together.
tortuga
tor-TOO-gahtoɾˈtu.ɣa
Examples
Encontré una vieja tortuga de mar en la playa.
I found an old sea turtle (shell) on the beach.
La tortuga camina muy lento por el jardín.
The tortoise walks very slowly through the garden.
Vimos una tortuga marina gigante mientras buceábamos.
We saw a giant sea turtle while we were diving.
Las tortugas tienen un caparazón muy duro que las protege.
Turtles have a very hard shell that protects them.
The Word is Always Feminine
In Spanish, 'tortuga' is always a feminine word. Even if the turtle is a boy, you still say 'la tortuga'. To be specific about the sex, you would say 'la tortuga macho' or 'la tortuga hembra'.
One Word for Both
Unlike English, which separates 'turtle' (water) and 'tortoise' (land), Spanish usually just uses 'tortuga' for both!
Avoid 'El Tortugo'
Mistake: “El tortugo camina.”
Correction: La tortuga camina. You cannot change the 'a' to an 'o' for male turtles; the word's gender is fixed.
Shell vs. Bomb vs. Cartridge
Related Translations
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