Inklingo

How to Say "ship" in Spanish

English → Spanish

barco

/BAR-ko//'baɾ.ko/

NounA1General
Use 'barco' for general-purpose watercraft, from small boats to large cargo or passenger vessels, when the specific type or advanced nature isn't the focus.
A simple wooden sailboat with a large white sail floating on calm blue water under a bright sky.

Examples

El barco sale del puerto a las ocho.

The ship leaves the port at eight.

Compramos un barco de pesca pequeño.

We bought a small fishing boat.

El crucero es un barco de lujo muy grande.

The cruise ship is a very large luxury ship.

Masculine Noun: 'el barco'

Remember that 'barco' is a masculine word, so you always use 'el' for 'the' (el barco) and 'un' for 'a' (un barco).

'Barco' vs. 'Bote'

Mistake: “Using 'bote' to talk about a large ship.”

Correction: 'Barco' is a great general term for any ship or boat. 'Bote' usually means a very small boat, like a rowboat or dinghy.

nave

/NAH-beh//ˈna.βe/

NounB1General/Technical
Use 'nave' for very large vessels, especially those designed for specific purposes like space travel ('nave espacial') or large sea voyages, often implying advanced technology or scale.
A large, sleek blue and white spaceship flying through the dark expanse of space, surrounded by stars.

Examples

La nave espacial despegó hacia Marte.

The spaceship took off towards Mars.

El pirata comandaba una nave muy rápida.

The pirate commanded a very fast ship.

Vimos una enorme nave de carga en el puerto.

We saw a huge cargo ship in the port.

It's a Feminine Noun

Even though it doesn't end in '-a', 'nave' is a feminine word. So you'll always use 'la nave' or 'una nave'.

'Nave' vs. 'Barco'

Mistake: “Using 'nave' for a small fishing boat.”

Correction: Use 'barco' or 'bote' for smaller boats. 'Nave' sounds big, like a cargo ship, a cruise ship, or a spaceship.

General vs. Specialized Vessels

Learners often overuse 'nave' for any large boat. Remember that 'barco' is the default for most ships. Reserve 'nave' for exceptionally large vessels, especially in contexts like space travel or large-scale maritime operations.

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